There's A Wolf In My Heart (on hiatus)
by ScratchingsOnTheWall
Summary: Time travel fic, featuring all the main characters of the FF7 series. Cloud is sent back in time to his cadet years in an alternate reality when his old world is destroyed. Torn between the friend he wished he could protect, and the man who took his everything, Cloud must battle to save the planet where he had once failed. Sephiroth x Cloud. Angeal x Genesis. Zack x Cloud. YAOI
1. Chapter 1

**_AN ;; Hey guys, author here. Exams are now finalized, so TAWIMH is being rewritten (chapters 1 - ?, at least) and edited, along with new chapters being posted on a regular(?) basis. This is my first fanfiction, so again, please excuse any errors or mishaps that I may encounter along the way. If you notice any mistakes please point them out to me in a review, and if you're enjoying the story, want to see it go one way or another, or simply want to give your support, reviews are most welcomed and most definitely appreciated. With over 100 followers on this story, I apologise for my 2 month absence. However, the show must go on, and this story will continue till the end. So please sit back and enjoy the ride~ _**

**_Nightfall_**

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

For nearly ten years, the world and people of Gaia coexisted in a near complete harmony, a living, breathing peace treaty between man and planet established after the fall of the primordial being Jenova, who had sought to destroy the planet itself through corrupting the lifestream, and the souls of those who dwelled within it. Through her chosen son, the beautiful, iridescent monster Sephiroth, Jenova attempted to destroy humanity entirely, to take the lifestream for herself. But with the combined powers of one Cloud Strife, a Jenova clone himself, along with those who followed him in battle time and time again, the murderous archangel, and his archaic alien 'mother', were brought to their knees and defeated, despite how many times each tried to rise up again. And in their efforts, the champions of Gaia were rewarded. With the planet's life forces slowly restoring, those who had stood against Jenova could return to their own lives, heading back to their homes and families who had waited restlessly for them. Some became leaders in their own right, while others simply went back to their previous lives before the Jenova crisis.

But not even their leader, the sombre blonde who had once believed himself to be one of ShinRa's mighty SOLDIERS, only to later become the greatest fighter the planet had ever seen, could prepare them for what was to unfold.

Because despite their efforts to defeat her, Jenova would not die.

As long as her cells still existed upon Gaia, Jenova could never fully be eliminated from existence. Akin to that of a cancerous tumour, Jenova would cling on till the very end, until all traces of her poisonous essence were cut away, removed from the very core. After nearly ten years of silence, she rose up again, turning her DNA against the one who still unwillingly retained her cells, the very one who had given his entire being to fighting against her.

Cloud. The one who had spent so long fighting tirelessly to protect his homeland, who had lost nearly everything, now became the catalyst which brought about the great virus itself. Through him, Jenova infected the world once more, only this time, she turned her sights from the lifestream, to the inhabitants of Gaia themselves, infecting them with her hateful disease. A new breed of the Geostigma disease, the tainted lifestream flowed through the planet's creations, undetected by nearly all until it was too late. Those infected with the virus retained no humanity, at first developing sociopath like states, then slowly, their very beings contorted into twisted, hideous monsters. In less than ten short years, the entire population of mankind became infected. That was, all with the exception of the planet's champions. Yet despite their best efforts to defend themselves and their families, Jenova's children could not be defeated. In one last, final stand, the champions readied their weapons to fight for their lives, surrounded by millions. And one by one, they fell, their blood staining the lands they cherished, until only two still held their ground, their fallen comrades scattered before them.

With agonizing breaths, Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart stood at the edge of the lifestream itself, weakened to the core from months of endless battle, their friends and families gone. Yet neither of the two childhood friends would fall to their knees and beg. They would stand and fight, even at the end, till their wasting bodies could go on no longer. Even as the world collapsed around them, illusion and reality colliding to become one, Cloud would keep his promise to the girl who held his heart. A promise he had made to her when they were no more than children, sat beneath the night skies of Nibelheim. A promise he would forever keep, even after death. His flesh torn into, his body beaten and broken, he still clung onto that legendary buster sword of which he had been given from the closest friend he had ever had, the one who had given his life to protect him from the world itself. Cloud simply grit his teeth down at the pain, mako infused eyes blazing, a yell of defiance echoing from his lungs as he threw himself forward into battle for one last time.

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

A thin trail of glistening sapphire broke through the temporary darkness, cracked lips parting to take in the bitter sweet air around his fallen body. He struggled to lift himself, fingers still tightly clenched around the handle of his weapon, the buster sword his dearest friend, and the man he had looked up to above all others, had given him with his dying breaths. No, Cloud would not repeat that scene. Not if the entire universe fought against him. His ears ached, ringing over and over with a dulled rhythm, the repeated, distant cries of 'Cloud, get up!' piercing his conscience, keeping the blonde from losing himself to the muse of which reality so dwindled upon. It was as though he was on the very edge of losing his mind to insanity itself, the warm, crimson tide seeping from his wounded ribcage, a darkened bruise having developed across his skin at the banks of that horrific wound of which he had lost nearly all of his strength trying to subside. Now a pale comparison of his old fighting self, Cloud Strife retained his willpower to drag his aching body upward, staggering to the side but for a moment before raising his sword, defiance glistening in those seemingly ancient blue eyes.

In the distance he watched his childhood companion thrust a single fist upward into the lower jaw of an infected, shattering bone and bringing the eight foot monster crashing down, yet Tifa was also weakened. They were not the young warriors they had once been, fighting against the very world side by side; they were old, weak, and so painfully tired. Yet the brunette retained her ever confident demeanour, even till the end, sending Cloud a soft smile through her bruised features, to which he responded simply with one nod, his upper lip held stiff despite his nerves sending jolts throughout his body to try and regain full control of his muscles. The monsters drew closer to him, blocking his view of the woman and redirecting his attentions to the armies before him.

Swinging the buster sword up through the concrete, creating a blaze of sparks and bright blue power, the man's strike emanated enough power to send around ten of the monsters back, their bodies falling apart in a grotesque display of scarlet rivers and heavy, blackened tissue. Around them the lifestream poured out from the planet's core into the dark abyss above, the planet crying out to it's surviving champions, begging to be cured of the infection coursing through her very veins. Two hundred and fifty pounds of pure metal collided with each opponent, buster sword slicing across the air as an extension of the swordsman's arm, until Cloud's golden locks became drenched, his worn face thickly glossed over with the sickly sheen of bright green, Jenova infected blood. But no matter how many monsters he defeated through using his mastered materia and iconic weapon, the armies of Jenova just kept coming, the entire populace of humanity having fallen to her genocide. Narrowly avoiding a clawed hand raking through the air, aimed for his face, Cloud twisted to the side and stabbed upward, cutting through the throat of what once was a human alike him, a person whom he had tried to protect, who he had failed, along with countless others. Blood running down his body alike that of a mako shower, the blonde turned his obstinate gaze to the next opponent, only to find the monsters withdrawing, circling at a distance, their sights now turned to the brunette who Cloud cherished with every waking moment.

Slumped to the side, struggling to keep her fists raised, Tifa visibly grimaced at the newly received wound dangerously close to her throat, her ragged breaths mixing with the hideous, inhuman hissing escaping the razor lined jaws all around her. Teeth and tongues in every inch she looked, drowning her sight, it was only the flash of gold rushing before her to hack open a pathway before them, albeit for a short moment, that brought the brunette back to her senses. Cloud pulled her up to her feet, shaking her in an attempt to clear her blurred vision, yet Tifa simply fell into his arms, Cloud dropping his weapon to support her.

"Tifa! Stay with me! Tifa!" clinging onto the now limp woman, Cloud slowly lowered her to the ground, getting onto a knee to support her, caring not that the infected still circled them, drawing closer. One dared to rush forward, leaping over them with the intent to tear into the two surviving humans. With an outraged yell Cloud swung his right arm to the side, a blaze of fire erupting from the mastered fire materia, scorching through enemy flesh. He whipped his head back round to gaze down at Tifa with watering eyes, desperately shaking her.

"Cloud…" her eyes parted slightly, that ever present smile making it's way across her fast becoming cold lips, "I can't…go on…"

"No!" hearing another whispering hiss dangerously close, Cloud cast barrier around them, holding the shield unsteadily while trying to revive Tifa. His last potion, what could have been the last potion in the world, for the amount they had gone through during this war, he had given to Nanaki, who himself had fallen to the monsters shortly after his clan, in a similar fashion to that of his legendary father Seto. Cloud had bitterly forced the memories of his friends' deaths to the recesses of his mind, desperately clinging onto the hope that at the end of the war, he could bring them back, but after losing each of his close friends, Denzel, Marlene, Reeve, Vincent, Yuffie, Barret, Cid, Nanaki…

And now, Tifa.

No. He could not lose her. He couldn't be alone. Not again, not after Zack… Cloud shook her again, "We'll get through this, I… I wont let you die, Tifa!" a tear trailed down his cheek, breaking his resolve which he had fought so desperately to retain, his solemn mask now cracking at the edges, shattering completely at the sight of his closest remaining ally motionless in his arms, "Tifa!"

"Cloud…" closing her eyelids, her heartbeat echoed through their ears, the shadowed creatures still circled them, alike wolves awaiting the inevitable death of an injured stag. With weakened breaths, Tifa tried to reply to him, to settle his nerves, to give him hope, "I…prayed to the planet…" she coughed slightly, Cloud brushing a lock of hair from her eyes, staring down at her with a sickening realisation, "to save…you…"

"No…No!" Not Tifa. Not her too. "Tifa, you'll be ok! Just hang in there! You'll… we'll get through this!" the shield around them wavered again, letting out a strained moan, the lifestream still streaming out into the celestials above them, escaping the planet while it still could, Jenova's taint pouring down upon them. The skies were literally raining fire.

Suddenly the woman in his arms jolted, coughing loudly, parting her lips to expel thick, blackened blood from her insides. Clenching her fingers down into Cloud's arm slightly, the blonde's mako infused eyes widened at the sight of Tifa's skin fast becoming pale, her softened stare rippling with a strange, bright green glow, her ink black pupils sharpening into feline like slits. Cloud became motionless himself as she began to twist in his arms, coughing louder, releasing a loud snarl, then a cry of pain, turning her head away from him.

"Don't…look at me…Cloud…"

"Tifa…" now openly crying, Cloud pulled the infected woman into his arms, holding onto her with shaking arms. Physical pain was nothing compared to this, to witnessing the change from human…into monster.

The infection at first had been somatic, contaminating the people through the water supply beneath the mountains, which came into direct contact with the tainted lifestream itself. Around a third of the human population was brought down by this, this population consisting of those far from the metropolis city of Edge, mainly consisting of the inhabitants of Wutai. The first signs of the virus were near impossible to detect - narrowed pupils, paled skin, a slight tinge of green within each iris. Most did not even notice this change in their physiques, and even when the vomiting, nausea and restlessness took hold, the ignorance of humanity still prevailed. Struck down by night terrors, reality and fantasy soon became one. Stories of men killing their families, losing their minds to insane fits, entire villages burning to the ground as the result of petty squabbles, soon reached the ears of those in the middle continent. While most dismissed these as simple scare mongering rumours, Cloud and the others knew. Travelling to the Ancient City, they called out to the lifestream, asking for her guidance, yet were met with a stricken silence.

However, despite so many being infected, it was not until the virus became air born that the rest of humanity fell. Three years after the rumours from Wutai and the Northern continent began, the borders were closed by the government, travelling across continents becoming prohibited. Soon daily checks were a routine, with every individual in Edge having to attend scans. These took place out on the streets themselves, and while it seemed the virus was not present in the city, it had already began to infect all of them. Having evolved into an even deadlier strain, one that human machinery could not detect, only those who had been in contact with the untainted lifestream previous to the virus outbreak were immune to the air born strain. Cloud, Tifa, and their comrades, champions of the lifestream, having fought against Sephiroth in Northern Crater, became the only creatures who survived the second outbreak.

Yet even with this, the longer the companions were in contact with the tainted lifestream, the closer they came to becoming infected themselves. The first to fall had been Denzel, a teenager at the time, he had given his life to give Tifa the time to save Marlene and an unconscious Reeve from the burning Seventh Heaven. Edge had become overrun by the hoards, the slightest sound made becoming a call for the infected to hunt them down, driven by a seemingly endless hunger. A single drop of cutlery onto the floor by Marlene had awoken the hoard, the horizon drowned out by the sound of wailing, screeching, hissing. As Tifa and Marlene struggled to take Reeve's limp body out through a hidden exit below, Denzel had grabbed onto a sword to fight, determined to prove himself worthy to the blonde leader of who he admired above all others. The bar fast became overrun, yet the teenager had fought them back, only drawing away to escape himself when he was sure the others were safe. But in this heroic act, a single bite was inflicted upon his human body, sealing his fate. Denzel had seemed fine for a few hours, even laughing off his psychical pain for a while, however, it soon became clear Denzel no longer existed as a human being, his hair shifting to a bright silver, body contorting into that of a monster. Cloud had been the one to end his suffering, leaving Tifa and the others to mourn in silence in the abandoned ShinRa complex, fearing for the lives of their friends and families. Vincent had taken Cloud aside and warned him that even they could not win this, not with the entire world against them. Yet Cloud had refused to back down, to retreat. He could not let the world fall, he would not run. He would take on the armies of Jenova, even if he had to do it himself.

For nearly five years they had fought. Each of them falling, one by one, until it came to this final battle. Yet Cloud Strife still could not give up fighting. When once he had been tired, refusing to battle unless he had no other way, now he could not stop. He could never stop. Jenova had taken everything he had fought for, turning the human civilisation into her infected armies. Every moment of his life was now spent defending others, protecting himself, blood meeting steel in an useless tourniquet. He could not, would not stop fighting. Not until the world was safe once more.

But in his desire to save them all, he had lost every single one of them.

Seeming to ignore his cries, Tifa simply tried to pull her lips into another weakened smile, ignoring the trail of black liquid running down the corner of her mouth, dripping down onto the concrete beneath them. Raising a hand to Cloud's cheek, her eyes still retained their characteristic softness, understanding the dilemma the blonde she loved so dearly was going through.

"Cloud…it's time…to stop fighting…" watching as his stare contorted into one of confusion and disbelief, she moved her other hand to the pommel of his blade, which he had began to reach out for and clung to.

"Tifa…" he shook his head, sapphire irises swelled to the brim with salted water, openly trailing tears down his cheeks, "I… I couldn't save you…I…"

"Cloud, no one…could have…stopped this…" she coughed harder this time, clenching her teeth to try and alleviate the agonising twisting of her muscles, the infection spreading closer to her heart, "you…have to run…"

"No…I wont leave you!" his hand reached out to the freezing palm against his cheek and held it dearly, shaking his head, the barrier around them beginning to fade. The infected started their approach towards the two sole surviving humans once more, claws clattering heavily upon the concrete of the decimated road.

"You…have…too. Please, Cloud…" Tifa reached her hand away from his buster sword, stopping by the ribbon on her arm. She untied the thin pink material and held it out to him with wavering movements, the last of her strength leaving her, "I will…always love you…" her eyes now shut completely, bruised, bloodied lips parted to take in one last gasp of air, "live…for me…"

Cloud stared down at the limp brunette in his arms. Boiling tears pouring from his sapphire eyes, he shook her, whispering her name, begging her to get up, to say something, not to leave him. Clenching his teeth down into his lower lip, drawing bloody almost instantly, he threw his head back, letting out a scream. The monsters took this moment to rush forward, swarming the fallen pair, blocking out the glistening green light from the lifestream above in their shadows. As they disappeared beneath the writhing bodies, claws and teeth tearing into flesh, the lifestream released another waning moan, turning abruptly and rushing down, pouring it's essence across the infected, drowning them in it's spiritual light, the planet slowly beginning to crack away into fragments and collapse within the blackened abyss.

Jenova had won.

* * *

_"Sorry I'm late."_

_Cloud found a small smile making it's way across his lips as the familiar brunette came into sight, climbing up onto the water tower beside him before sitting down, brushing her bright blue dress down around her thighs before turning to him, a bewildered look in her eyes. They had not spoken since she had went to search for her mother when they were much younger, a rule that had been implemented and put into place by her father, the town mayor, having deemed Cloud bad news. Even though they had once been 'friends', it now felt as though they were childhood strangers, and when Tifa had found the note slipped under the door of her house, she had at first been unsure of who could have left such a strange letter. When she realised it had been from the illusive blonde who kept to himself, despite his evident loneliness, she had near ran to meet with him at the given location, at first finding she was alone before noticing his feet swinging from the water tower above._

_"You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"_

_Watching as Cloud ran a hand through his hair, Tifa wondered what the thirteen year old had to tell her, seeing as he had gone against her father's strict ruling of there was to be no contact between the two._

_"Come this spring…" he seemed slightly hesitant, yet continued, "I'm leaving this town for Midgar."_

_Midgar? The metropolis capital? What on Gaia could a small, pitiful mountain boy like Cloud Strife want to go there for? Sure, a few of the boys their age had left to join the ShinRa army, ever since the fliers bearing the image of General Sephiroth had made their way to their little frosted town. Though most simply left to make a life in the larger villages nearby. Cloud had gone silent, giving no reason for his leaving thus yet, and so Tifa frowned lightly, commenting simply._

_"…All boys are leaving our town."_

_At this, Cloud seemed offended, as though he did not want to be associated with the other boys Tifa associated with in their small village._

_"But I'm different from all of them, I'm not just going to find a job," he stood at this point, staring out into the night sky before them, the glistening celestials seeming to cause his sapphire eyes to radiate beneath the starlight, "I want to join SOLDIER. I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth."_

_Tifa was left stunned by this revelation. Not only was the blonde leaving, but he wanted to join the army - not even the army, the infamous SOLDIER, the strongest men in the world. A desire for an impossible dream. Not wanting to seem offensive, the brunette repeated him._

_"Sephiroth…The Great Sephiroth?" still awestruck, she was torn between grabbing him and telling him he was going on a fool's errand, or bursting into giggles, hoping he was simply telling her this in an attempt to impress her. When he did not reply, instead climbing higher up the water tower, Tifa added, "isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?"_

_"…I probably wont be able to come back to this town for a while."_

_Shocked at this clear lack of caring for their little village, she threw an arm to the side, near shouting at the thirteen year old boy, yet she found herself holding her tongue. No one had been kind to Cloud during his childhood here, and this hostility simply increased after they had nearly died searching for Tifa's mother. Cloud and his mother had been outsiders to the village, even if he was only two years old when they first entered the lands of the Nibel area. Rumours spread fast, stories that his mother was a Nibel wolf herself, even Tifa had been afraid of the blonde when they had first met as children. Yet Cloud was not a demon. He was human, just like her. Which made the idea of him joining SOLDIER along with the legendary silver haired General an incredulous thought._

_Noticing her stall, Cloud tilted his head, "huh?"_

_Tifa quickly made up for her silence, questioning, "will you be in the newspapers if you do well?" all she could do at this stage was encourage him, give him hope, she thought. When he realised what a daunting task it was, an impossible task, he would return, and she would be there._

_"I'll try." was all he responded with, his gaze returning to the cold night sky before them._

_Tifa glanced up at the blonde, finding a little smile had made it's way across her full lips. She leaned back, staring up at him with widened eyes._

_"Hey, why don't we make a promise?" Cloud still did not respond to this, so the brunette continued, "um, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind…" she swung a leg back, internally biting away at her nerves, "you'll come save me, all right?"_

_"What?" Cloud tilted his head down at her, finding that, rather than laughing at his inspirations, the girl he had cherished for so long from a distance was actually encouraging him._

_"Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me," Tifa remembered the stories her mother had told her before she journeyed to the realms of sleep each night, snuggled up next to a fat chocobo plush, "I want to experience that at least once."_

_"What?" still taken aback, Cloud was unsure if this was some twist to play with his emotions, if she really was silently laughing at him._

_Implying she was offended by being questioned a second time for her reasons, Tifa pouted, "Come on-! Promise me-!" she found herself insisting, Cloud's sapphire irises still brimming with hope._

_"All right… I promise."_

* * *

"Cloud...?"

_Come on-! Promise me-!_

"Cloud, wake up!"

_All right... I promise._

"Cloud, you have to wake up!"

Cloud Strife's eyes shot open.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN ;; So as this story is undergoing a rewrite, I thought I would have the time to edit chapters 2 and 3 in a few days but life has taken a busy turn and thus the rewrite has been put on hold. As many of you have requested, I'm posting back up chapters 2 & 3, despite however much I loathe them. Do enjoy the story and note that while it is going to go under a rewrite, the story itself will not be changing course from the original direction it was taking. _

_-Nightfall_

**CHAPTER TWO**

Cloud awoke with a start. His cerulean eyes blazing with confusion, burning sweat pouring from his forehead and back onto the off white sheets around him. Raising a hand to his head, he closed his eyes. What the hell was that dream? He'd not had a dream like that since he was a cadet swooning over every image of the beloved general he could find. Beloved? Cloud slid his fingers into spiked blonde locks and tugged hard. No, not beloved…crazed. He was a murderer, a monster. The general people once loved was but a mere illusion, a fragment of his true sociopath self. Why had he dreamt of such a scene when that beast had taken everything from him? Cloud put it down to having not eaten in two days since his last delivery. He sighed loudly, leaning back onto the bed.

That was when the smell hit him.

Thick, heavy sweat, along with far too much testosterone in one area for this to be anywhere but…

No.

This was not possible.

Cloud shot up in a flash and looked around, taking the ancient feeling scene in, his aching heart skipping a beat. Around him in iron bunks lay sleeping cadets, near a dozen in total, some snoring and tossing limply in their beds, others sound asleep. Cloud blinked once. The scene stayed. He rubbed his eyes again and again. He was still here. His heart racing, he felt as though his chest was being crushed by a hundred tons of steel. He looked at his hands. Young, fresh, unworn, the skin unbroken from a thousand hours of swordplay.

What the hell was going on?

He glanced over at the sleeping boys, the youngest probably only just past his fourteenth birthday. Kain, Daryl, Rob, Joe… he remembered their faces well, they had taken particular enjoyment in tormenting him on a daily basis during his training. So much so that he had failed the SOLDIER examination spectacularly due to his confidence being so broken in. Cloud was not a bitter person, but if this was his dream, surely he'd have picked a more… pleasant scene than this?

Cloud cautiously moved from the bed, making sure not to wake any of the sleeping cadets around him. He slowly padded through the cramped room until he opened the doorway and entered the hallway. Cloud wondered if he was still dreaming. It had to be a dream. Fine, he'd play along. He made his way to the showers and washed quickly. Staring into the mirror, his appearance was very much that of his younger self, but his eyes still radiated sapphire, still burned with the memories of his friends, of the planet, of Jenova. He then noticed the scar on his chest. The scar that monster had given him, the one not even the mako during Hojo's four year experimentation had been able to heal. Cloud traced a pale, shivering finger across the blemish. Closing his eyes, he willed the memories away as they threatened to flood his mind. The blonde left the shower abruptly, leaving it turned on, pulling on his uniform and walking back through the halls. Everything was the same as it had been when he was here all those years ago, before Zack… Zack.

He stopped for a moment, silently willing, hoping that in this strange dream he'd see his old friend, be able to hear his laugh, probably be tackled to the floor in one of Zack's infamous embraces. Cloud wandered through the hallways, noticing the lack of people, he wondered what time it was. Did it even matter in a dream? Did he really have to go to training class if this was simply a mere fragment of his imagination?

He stopped at a crossway in his original route. The corridor lead off in three ways. The first to his class, he remembered that enough. The second to the exit, should he choose to leave the ShinRa building entirely. The third… was the training rooms, if he remembered correctly. Cloud's blue eyes rippled beneath the artificial lights, blonde locks dancing in the soft breeze which came from the doorway being opened to the right. Cloud instinctively jerked back against the wall, having had to sneak past guards the last time he had been to the ShinRa facility, it was now second nature to be cautious.

"Kunsel, you can't be serious. Genesis would rather burn a copy of Loveless than do that!"

As he heard that familiar laugh, his heart stopped.

Zack..?

Cloud dared not look. What would be the point? A glance at his old friend that would last seconds, leaving him in most likely months of agony when he awoke from this convoluted hallucination. He turned, about to walk back to the cadet dormitories.

"Cloud!"

His eyes opened a second later to find he was lying face first on the floor. Strong arms wrapped around his chest, Cloud struggled to break free from his captor. He twisted and kicked out into the thick waist of the man clinging to him. With an 'oof' the man fell back, Cloud scrambling back to the wall.

"Aha, Cloud, when did you get so touchy?!"

Cloud stared at the black haired man grinning away on the floor in front of him.

"…Zack…?"

"The one and only!" Zack pulled himself up with ease, leaping to his feet in less than a moment and pulling Cloud into his arms once again. Cloud listened to that warm laughter and instantly found himself relaxing. So at this point of his training he was already friends with the Second class. That made things both less difficult, and more complicated.

"What're you doing up this early, chocobo head?" Zack queried, releasing Cloud just enough so he could breath. Cloud however refused to let go. His fingers entwined in Zack's shirt, he clung on desperately. Zack stopped laughing abruptly as Cloud felt the tears welling at the corners of his eyes, the pain he had managed to hold back for so long finally causing him to break.

"H-hey, Cloud?" Zack pulled away enough so Cloud would get the message. Cloud unravelled his fists and stood shaking in the hallway in front of his old friend. Bewildered, Zack knelt down slightly, in one of his legendary squats, staring up at the cadet.

"What's wrong, chocobo?"

Cloud did not answer at first. Despite Zack's voice being so filled with concern, his brilliant blue eyes widened in concern, Cloud could not respond. His throat felt dry, as though all the water in his body was now pouring out of his eyes.

"I…I had a bad dream, that's all…" Cloud felt like a knife was plunging into his chest as he lied to his friend. But what else could he say? Even if this was a dream, he had already lost all dignity from crying so openly in front of the one man he had ever loved.

"Oh, a nightmare? That sucks. What happened in it?" Zack was so naïve, so oblivious to Cloud's inner turmoil, Cloud would have ran if his remaining honour did not deem he stand and answer his friend.

"You… died."

Zack blinked. Then he laughed.

"Died? As if! No one can defeat me… well, except Sephiroth and Genesis, but that's only because I let them." Zack chuckled loudly as he stood up, holding out a hand to the broken cadet, "but don't let them hear that. They'll drag me to the training room and kick the crap outta me...Cloud?"

Cloud gave up. This dream…his honour, his dignity.. It all meant nothing here. Not in his mind. He turned and ran.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Located in the depths of lower Midgar, Sector Five consisted of both decaying slums and plate sections, light dimly by electrical currents powered by the infamous ShinRa power company. Just like the rest of Midgar, nothing grew in Sector Five, the planet too drained of her life for the soil to be anything but barren dirt. The only living natives in this section were either petty monsters living on stray cats and dogs, while the poor lived amongst the cold shadows, straying out of the darkness only to search for supplies. Cloud passed through the dank alleyways, ignoring the abuse thrown from slum inhabitants who wanted nothing more than to ring President ShinRa's neck for leaving them in such foul living conditions. But Cloud cared not for them. He had to get to the church, find Aeris, find out what in Gaia's name kind of dream this was. Having ran from Zack, he had blocked out his concerned shouts to him as he made his way out of the facility. That Zack was not the real Zack. No, Zack was dead. He died protecting him from ShinRa dogs. The one who he had clung to so fiercely was nothing more than a fragment of his imagination, some cruel trick his mind brought into this insane reverie.

_Her ragged breaths echoed through the dimly lit corniches, jaundice skin soaked with scalding sweat, limbs wracked with agony. But still she did not stop. She had to get away, escape this place. For these were not ordinary civilians hunting them down._

_Jenova… she had won._

_The immortalisation of the ever burning fires, the skies drowned in a sea of dark ash, the air thick with the scent of smouldering flesh, constantly reminding Tifa of how they had failed. The world was over as they knew it, and they could do nothing to change that. The life stream had fallen, purged by Jenova's taint, not even Cloud had been able to protect the planet from this. All Tifa knew was she had to run. Keep running. Don't look back. Keep running. The brunette skidded across burning sandstone, ignoring the blistering upon the pads of her feet, colliding with a row of large jars, shattered clay tore into her body as she scrambled to her feet to continue her flight. The sound of crashing rippled through the veins of the city, drawing the monsters closer to her. An ardor lustre beckoned through the city skies as Tifa skidded to a halt, coming to an abrupt end in the road, a sudden drop, plummeting into a sea of burning mako below. Tifa turned, readying her cloth bound fists, the monsters quickly drawing closer to where she stood._

_"Cloud…"_

Cloud slowed as he approached the archaic building, the roofing already falling apart, casting the beginning rays of the morning dawn into the inner structure of the religious construct. Cloud kept up his guard, despite the feeling of relief washing over him as he arrived at his desired waypoint. Aeris had been watched over by TURKS near constantly in his memory, or Zack's…? Cloud shook his head. It mattered not who remembered what, all he had to do was find out how to end this fast becoming nightmare. He slid his fingers across the metal framework of the doorway, wondering if Aeris would even be in the abandoned church in this world his mind had designed. He pushed the doors open in one hard shove.

* * *

"He just freaked out and ran. He told me he had some crazy dream, he was crying…"

Angeal frowned as Zack sat on the couch in their apartment, running a hand through his hair as he recounted his encounter with the cadet.

"I didn't know what to say, then he just ran, I tried to stop him…" Zack's mako infused eyes moved to stare at his mentor with utmost sincerity, clearly wracked in distress, "Angeal, I'm worried about him. First the bullying amongst the other cadets, now this…"

"What do you expect to happen?" an auburn haired head perked up from where the crimson lad man knelt in the small kitchen, raiding the fridge, "he's clearly too weak to join SOLDIER, even with the mako infusions, if his mind isn't ready…"

"No!"

The crimson commander nearly hit his head on a fridge shelf when Zack's yell cascaded through the apartment. Angeal grunted and rubbed one of his ears as Zack stormed towards the red leathered first class, face contorted in fury.

"He's my friend! For you to just dismiss him like that…" the raven haired SOLDIER threw one hand to the side, glaring at the first class SOLDIER with new found rage, "what if it were Angeal, or Sephiroth? Would you just leave them to their fate?"

Genesis Rhapsodos pouted playfully, pretending he had been wounded by the younger's words, amused with the second class' outburst. Angeal stood, approaching Zack, he placed a hand onto the boy's shoulder.

"Easy pup…"

Zack ground his teeth together in fury. Why didn't they care? Cloud wasn't just some cadet. He was…special.

"If you guys aren't going to help, I'm going to go find him myself."

"Zack, you said he was crying. That's not exactly a life death situation." Angeal attempted to reason with his apprentice, confused to as why Zack was acting so hurt by the cadet's outburst.

Zack ignored his mentor, pulling on his boots. Genesis continued to search the fridge until he found a bowl of raspberry jelly, smirking devilishly, he took the moment to his advantage to hid the bowl from Angeal as the first class worried over Zack's erratic behaviour.

"I'm going to go find Cloud. I'll be back soon." Zack murmured, briskly walking out of the apartment as Angeal stood dumbfounded by the doorway.

Genesis licked the spoon delicately, tracing his tongue over the tangy metal as he swallowed a spoonful of jelly, Angeal silent in the living area.

"My friend, the fates are cruel…"

"Don't you start."

* * *

The flowers bloomed with every lasting life beneath the sunlight invading the church through the decimated rooftop. Grass grew amongst the cracked cobbles on the outskirts of the flower bed, a few woven baskets lying scattered across the floor. The blonde cadet made his way toward the flowers, his legs feeling as though he were made out of concrete, the weight in them attempting to hold him back from his destination. A fifteen year old Cloud stopped in front of the garden, slowly falling to his knees, he let out a softened sob.

"Aeris…" his voiced wrecked with agony, he ground his fingers into the dirt, soil painting his pale skin earth brown.

"Yes?"

Cloud's wavering eyes widened, he dared not turn to glance behind him. His entire being trembling, he wished this dream would end.

"It's not a dream, Cloud…"

Fingers ran across his neck as Aeris hugged him from behind, burying her head into his golden locks. Cloud felt a sigh escaping his lungs but did not register if it was really him, or simply part of this nightmare.

"Then… a nightmare?"

"No, not that either."

Cloud felt his entire world crashing around him. Was he… dead? Was the lifestream really just a replica of his memories?

"Cloud, do you remember anything?"

As Aeris released him, the teenager turned to face his old friend. That beautiful face, those deep emerald eyes, filled with concern for his well being. She never lost that brilliant smile, the same one she had upon her face when they had first met.

"I remember… falling." Cloud murmured, in a defeated tone. They sat in silence for a moment, neither wishing to speak in case the other had more to say. Aeris ran her small hand through his hair, resting the palm of her hand on his cheek.

"Cloud, we all died."

He frowned expectantly, Aeris' smile fading upon her full lips.

"Died…?"

"Jenova was too strong. By the time you defeated the great evil, she had already infected the life stream with her hate."

The great evil… she meant him. The demon of his every waking moment and his darkest nightmares. The one who had stole everything from him, who had ruined his life, and all those lives around him. Cloud swallowed bile back down his throat as Aeris tried to smile again, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.

"Tifa… prayed to Gaia.. That you would be saved, be given a second chance…"

Tifa?

"You've been given a second chance, Cloud. None of us are dead, the great evil is still dormant. You can save us…"

Cloud tilted his head into her hand, the warmth radiating from her touch leaving his heart in turmoil.

"What… what if I fail again?" he closed his eyes, a tear running down his skin, "what if you and Zack… what if I can't stop him…"

The cetra giggled softly. Cloud opened his eyes as she sat smiling brightly at him, waving a finger in front of his face.

"Dilly dally shilly shally. You wont fail, Cloud. You'll save us, I know you will." she stood and held out a hand to him, that constant smile never leaving her. Cloud reached out to her, as she entwined her fingers in his, helping him up off the ground. Cloud stood silently in front of her, looking down at his worn boots as Aeris searched through the flowers around them.

"Aha! This one!"

Cloud blinked as a golden flower was slipped into the locks of his hair, the cetra stroking a finger over the delicate petals. Cloud half expected the flower to wilt and turn to ash within the locks of his hair; he was that used to being a harbinger of death.

"Aeris, do the others remember? Does he…"

Aeris held Cloud's hands and swayed from side to side slightly, her radiating eyes never leaving his.

"No, only we remember. Tifa might remember when you meet again, but no, he does not remember.."

"Then I can still.. Save him?"

"Cloud, you can save everyone…"

He let out a small sigh.

"Are you… are you really sure?"

"Always so full of doubt…" Aeris looked away from him, up at the broken roof, "Cloud, the first time we met, you were not yourself. You tried to be someone else and failed us. Cloud… this is your time. Don't let your doubts hold you down. You will save us all, I know you will. So please… don't stray from happiness…"

Happiness?

Cloud thought for a moment. Had he ever felt happy? He had felt… content. But never true, pure happiness. As Aeris turned to face him again, beaming brightly at him, he tried to pull his lips into a small smile. Aeris giggled at this and placed her fingers at the sides of his lips, helping him. He managed to pull some sort of contorted grin, the cetra staring at him with wide eyes, holding back laughter. She pulled his blonde hair out of his eyes and burst into giggles. Cloud laughed. They stood laughing, then the teenager smiled.

"I wont fail again, Aeris."

"Good." Aeris clapped her hands together behind her back and bent over slightly, "because that would be a shame, no?"


	4. Chapter 4

_AN ;; This is my first ever written fanfiction. The story itself was actually based on a male OC of mine with Sephiroth but having finished the game again, there's really no cuter couple than Sephy and Cloud, despite their protests otherwise. The story title 'There's A Wolf In My Heart' was recently featured in AMC'S The Walking Dead and it really struck me as a song that represented Cloud._

_ALSO - Happy World Rat Day, everyone! Even if I'm a day late... ;.;''_

_Anyway, going to put my utmost effort into this story, I've read so many brilliant stories for this couple on here that have never been finished and I refuse to let mine go unfinished. So time for longer chapters everybody, review, yes? :')_

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

The twenty year old ran his fingers through his hair, growling audibly, causing a few cadets to flee in terror of the legendary second class. He had searched everywhere, near ransacking the entire facility for the elusive blonde cadet. Zack jokingly thought to himself that Cloud would have been easily located due to his gravity defying hair, however he had not found a single trace of his friend having ever been there. He had ignored numerous calls from Angeal, the voicemails soon flooding his phone, while he'd even had a call from Genesis, with an angry Angeal in the background of course. The crimson commander had told him repeatedly he was over reacting. But how was he? Cloud had dreamt of him. Not any dream, a nightmare where he died. That had to mean something was wrong. It had to.

He passed by the TURKS offices and noticed Cissnei being harassed by the ever flirtatious red head, Reno. Zack slowed to watch for a moment as the other TURKS laughed at Reno's attempts to woo the girl, who simply punched him square in the jaw once his hand rested on her shoulder. A soft chuckle escaped Zack, drawing attention from the keen, ever sharpened senses of ShinRa's hyenas. Cissnei perked up immediately and waved as she trotted towards him, Reno rubbing his bruised jaw with an ever present smirk. Zack did not trust the baton wielder one bit, considering he spent most of his working hours watching over Aeris in the sector five church. Sure, she was the last cetra, but she should be permitted to at least a few hours of privacy away from that idiot's prying eyes. Zack pulled one of his famous grins as the curl haired woman stopped before him, smiling sweetly.

"Hey SOLDIER boy, what're you doing on this floor?" Cissnei, ever so innocent, despite her career. The heat had rushed to her cheeks as she addressed him with one of her many pet names for the raven head. Zack figured answering her truthfully wouldn't hurt in the long run, what would the TURKS care for a distressed cadet?

"Just looking for one of the E Dorm. cadets, he ran off about two hours ago, I can't find him anywhere," Zack explained quickly, as Cissnei tilted her head slightly in a very Aeris-like style, "I figured I'd try the upper floors in case he got lost."

"You realise you need a key card to get up on these levels, right?" Cissnei giggled as Zack scratched his head, frowning.

"Uh.."

"You do have a key card right?"

Zack rummaged through his pockets, finding nothing. The TURK half expected to find dust and cobwebs pouring out.

"Uh. Nope." Zack chuckled as Cissnei suddenly became serious.

"Then how the heck do you manage to get up on these floors?"

"Everyone just lets me in…?"

Cissnei smiled softly. The infamous Zackary Fair, second class SOLDIER, beloved of the commanders, adored by all. Even the general seemed to like the raven hair, of whom no one could stay angry with for long even when he pulled one of his ridiculous pranks. Cissnei liked the man much more than he realised, but he was too dense, or too naïve to ever notice. All she would ever be to him was a close friend. She did not mind, of course, as long as whoever Zack eventually chose to be his partner treated him right. Otherwise she would have to get involved. And Cissnei was no gentle torturer.

"If he's got lost up here, he better hope you find him before Tseng does." Cissnei smiled slightly, her eyes filled with adoration for the twenty year old, "he'll find something to accuse him of and hang him out a window by his feet."

Zack knew she wasn't joking. He began panicking, waving his hands around him as Cissnei watched his display were clear amusement.

"Then I'd better get going! I'll talk to you soon, yeah?"

"You never answer my calls." Cissnei muttered quietly as Zack flustered.

"Uh, well, I'm very busy these days…" Zack sighed, hoping his excuses would be of any good, secretly knowing that the TURK was probably plotting some way to publicly humiliate him.

"Yeah. Right." Cissnei placed a small, battle worn thumb against her lips, chestnut eyes full of mischief, "busy with the commanders, yes? Very…busy…"

Zack stood dumbfounded as she turned and strolled back into the TURK office, Reno sending him glares through the glass doorway as another TURK, the blonde Elena, applied a bag of ice to his bust lip. Around four other TURKS sat in varying places and positions around the office, all grinning at Zack as though Cissnei had just told the funniest joke known to man. It took him a few moments to realise what the girl was implying when the rest of the TURKS burst into wild hysterics as his face contorted into one of horror and disgust.

"H-hey! That's not funny!"

Cloud stood silently amongst the other first year cadets lined up in single file, still wearing his sweat ridden uniform, he held his helmet in his arms on his chest. Staring into the glistening metal, he took in his reflection yet again. He no longer found it hard to believe this was real, after having saved the world countless times, another oddity like this no longer surprised him after a while. He felt, however, relieved. He had decided he would not fail his friends, not Zack, Aeris, or Tifa…

She and Cloud had been the last ones standing when the world fell, Jenova's taint turning the world into a lifeless, hopeless vessel, consumed with an ancient hate they had thought they had defeated when Sephiroth fell. The civilians of Midgar had been affected first, first the geostigma, then a stranger, more terrifying disease. Those who did not initially die from the virus outbreak soon became infected with Jenova, becoming mindless, ever hungry monsters, their humanity lost. Barret, Cid, Vincent, Yuffie, Cait Sith… they had all stood against the creatures with weapons drawn, whilst Tifa hid Denzel and Marlene amongst the rubble of the destroyed reactor. Cloud had been engaged in a battle with Jenova herself within his mind, as he had been the last to contain her cells.

It was his fault.

Had the Jenova cells been never implanted in his blood, the world would never have continued to be under the threat of Jenova. He had been the one to give Sephiroth the black materia, the one who had continued to live on, believing he could have a normal life.

A distorted cry reverberated through the blackened abyss above where Tifa stood, the skies suddenly igniting with plumes of Aztec gold. Her mahogany eyes widened in horror as the oceans overhead began to twist, circling as the immortals began to take flight from their ended slumber. Tifa searched desperately for some kind of refuge, the pain in her legs beginning to take it's toll on her as she stumbled across burning stones, blood running from her thigh from the hideous wound she endured.

Cloud felt as though his head were being crushed within the jaws of the Midgar Zolom itself, the instructor listing through the many names of the surrounding forty cadets, before he reached the blonde's.

"Strife?"

Cloud did not hear him. He was trapped within his memories, a tear threatening to break past his cold resolve, his arms shaking.

The ground itself was already steaming, as though it had suddenly become lava under her body within moments of the creatures awakening. Tifa did not look back, not even to glance over her shoulder. The sound of air rushing through leather like skin became louder as she searched, becoming frantic as tears escaped her, only to be devoured by the heat of Jenova's hate. Willing her legs onward, she saw the ruins of the reactor in the distance. A mirage? In this heat, it was quite possible. But she had no choice. The cormorant monsters drew closer to her, following her terrified heartbeat. She skidded to a halt as she came to the sudden fall, turning to face the corrupted once civilians of Midgar.

"Cloud…"

"Strife, are you deaf?"

Cloud saluted instantly, snapping out of his memories as he finally registered the man shouting out his surname.

"Sir, here sir." Hand in front of his head, he blinked back the salt water, clacking his feet together as he straightened out his back.

"I asked you, boy, if you are deaf?" the instructor, Corporeal Riley, approached, hand on his hip as he waved the metal baton in front of his eyes, half expecting the boy to piss his pants right there.

"Sir, no sir." Cloud replied, ignoring the snickering coming from a particular set of four cadets behind him.

"You could have fooled me." Third class Corporeal Riley grunted as he patted his baton against his leather padded shoulder, turning to address the rest of the squirming cadets, waiting with anticipation to get their hands on the weapons in the sword stand across from them, "right you little shits. You're going to have basic combat practice today, go and pick up a wooden sword each." The class echoed with disappointed moans, "That's right, girls, you're using the toothpicks, you either fucking like it, or you don't. I don't give a damn either way. Once you've chosen your swords, pick a partner and get sparring." they stood still as Riley backed away slightly to check his phone for the time, then noticed them all still standing there, "what the hell are you waiting for? Move your asses!"

Cloud waited until the rambunctious cadets rushed past him, fighting over the swords as though the differing shades of wood mattered one bit about the quality of the weapon. He exhaled quietly, starting forward. An arm blocked his path, followed by four burly, much older cadets.

"Hey blondy, where did you go this morning?" Rob questioned, grinning widely as Cloud's faced stayed blank as a white wall.

"Probably for a wank in the showers over the fucking general." Kain snorted, causing the four cadets to snigger loudly. Corporeal Riley was across the room, talking with another third class, uninterested in babysitting the cadets. Cloud said nothing, standing silently in front of the four until they ceased their irritating cackling. He walked past them, heading towards the sword racks and picking up one of Riley's fondly nicknamed 'toothpicks'.

"Hey, you little shit, don't ignore us when we're talking to you." Kain snarled, clenching his dark hands into fists, eyes filling with fury from the complete lack of caring coming from the youth.

Cloud ran his fingers over the wooden sword, fondly musing to himself how long it had been since he had used one of these. His memories and Zack's had become so intertwined, he no longer remembered if he had even been any good at using the practice weapons. He knew for one he had been terrible using the standard issued rifles, so that probably also meant he had had no idea on how to use a sword either. He had been pretty useless, he could admit that to himself with ease. But this time… this time it would be different.

Cloud turned to the four as a small smile made it's way across his pale lips, sapphire eyes glinting with near ancient knowledge of battle. He strode towards them at a deliberately slow pace, knowing full well he was not intimidating in the slightest to them, but feeling as powerful as ever even. The mako still fuelled his every movement, despite now being in his younger body. He thanked the planet for that gift and stood in front of the four, swinging the sword in his right hand in a circular motion to get used to the weight and feel of the blade.

"So which of you is going to take me on?"

Silence. Then a rippling chuckle. Then full on laughter, loud enough to cause Riley to shout over at them to 'shut the hell up'. Kain took a step towards Cloud, nodding to Rob. Rob dashed over to the swords and threw one to the elder of the four, that brutish grin never leaving Kain's face as he caught the practice weapon.

"You've got balls, kid. I'll give you that."

* * *

The raven haired SOLDIER finally stopped his search when he came to the training rooms. Cadets never entered here without a third or second class instructor by their side, they were too terrified in case one of the first classes threatened them to engage in a 'spar'. Of course, the general refused to spar with anyone other than his commanders, and a few times with Zack, which had left the then third class lying in embarrassing, extremely uncomfortable positions, his training swords usually shattered and scattered all over the place. Zack however did not remember these events fondly. He had to find Cloud, not stand around reminiscing. He turned and continued his search elsewhere, ShinRa employees moving to the side as he ploughed on forward. He eventually found the cadet training rooms and stopped, noticing the blonde engaging in a fight with another much larger cadet. Zack slid his fingers across the glass as the third class instructor noticed him and started to walk towards where he stood, grinning to him.

"Fair." Riley nodded as he stepped out of the room, standing by Zack's side as the second and third classes watched the battle about to commence. Cloud seemed as cold as ice, his emotions shielded, face still other than a small smirk dancing at the corner of his mouth as though he had some devious plan in mind. The smile on the younger's face, however, did not give Zack any relief. Cloud was acting out of character, too much for it to be a simple 'bad dream'. Standing by the doorway, Zack decided if Cloud looked like he was in trouble for even a moment, he would interfere. That brute Kain West looked as though he had just been presented with a large gift the way he looked at Cloud.

"Davidson." Zack responded, though did not take his eyes off Cloud. Riley pouted.

"You know I hate being called that." he protested playfully as he stood next to him. The two had been cadets together many years ago before Zack had been promoted to third six months into the programme, mentored under the one and only Angeal Hewley. After receiving no response, Riley followed Zack's trail of sight to the blonde matching off with Kain. "You know blondie?"

"Blondie?"

"The other cadets call him that, amongst other less…" Riley noticed Zack's face contorting into a scowl, "pleasant… names." Bemused by Zack's clear display of emotion, Riley chuckled internally. Always so emotional.

"Will he be alright?" Zack questioned, his voice aching with concern as Riley shrugged.

"Want me to be perfectly honest?" the raven head shot him a dark glare as Riley waved his arms in protest, "hey, I asked first! Anyway, that Kain boy will probably wipe the floor with him. He's not going to make it into SOLDIER, and everyone knows it."

Zack said nothing as he analysed the situation himself. Wooden swords or not, if Cloud got hit full force with one of those, he'd be heavily bruised. But as he approached the doorway to stop the battle before it started, Cloud readied his sword, feet sliding into position. Zack watched as the teenager lowered his body towards the ground as the small smirk played in the corner of his lips.

Riley coughed, causing Zack to lose his concentration for a moment, then Cloud had vanished from his vision of sight. Zack searched for a moment and found Cloud rushing forward in one swift movement, the tip of his sword skidding across the floor. Zack bit his lip as the scene unfolded before him, Kain grunting and storming forward at full speed also. However due to the blonde's smaller build and agility, Cloud was faster, instantly on him as he slashed upward with the practice sword, sending a gust of dust, wind and some strange power Cloud emitted into the other cadet. Kain fell backward, landing heavily on his back as Cloud landed on him, slamming a boot onto his large chest to hold him down, weapon directed towards the elder's throat. Zack was dumbstruck.

Kain let out a feral roar of anger, the room vibrating beneath the cadets' feet as the sound tore through their own battles. While the other cadets turned to watch the scene unfolding before them, Cloud fell backwards, the older boy shoving himself back to his feet and stampeding towards the blonde, sword above his head. However before he could get a foot closer to Cloud a glistening metal sword was by his throat. Kain stuttered, eyes widened to the size of saucers as the sword pressed against his jugular.

"Back off."


	5. Chapter 5

_AN ;; due to increasing insomnia, I'm able to write more chapters quicker. However, I will be undergoing my exams in a few weeks, so among studying and taking exams, there will be delays for new chapters to come out. Do not fret! Spam me with messages if I take longer than two weeks to submit a chapter, or if my chapters lower in quality - from the terribleness they already are, that is - x_x_

_So without further await, who is it that has come to Cloud's aid? All shall now be revealed ~_

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Cloud had never seen Zack so angry as he was then. Not since he had taken on Sephiroth alone at the Nibelheim reactor after he had nearly killed Tifa. Zack's sword pressed against Kain's throat, the raven hair seeming not to notice Corporeal Riley's protests as he shooed the other cadets back. Zack had seemed to go into meltdown, some sort of paralysed state where only his anger ruled freely. Kain's legs trembling, the fabric of his trousers suddenly became darker, damp with urine as the second class' eyes blazed ocean blue in sharpened slits. Kain's group of three followers said nothing as they hid amongst the rest of the bewildered cadets, but there was an open mocking in the air, as though many had simply waited for Kain to finally get his comeuppance.

The blonde slowly moved towards his friend, realising that although he was enjoying watching Zack terrorising the idiot who tormented him for months during his cadet training, his friend was acting very much un-Zack like.

"…Zack? Hey, I'm alright, you can lower your sword now…"

Zack's eyes never left the now openly sobbing cadet in front of him. Kain's eyes were streaming with tears, the boy seriously thought he was going to be cut to shreds by the furious second class. And who wouldn't be terrified? Zackary Fair, the one SOLDIER who could always be guaranteed to be laughing or making people laugh despite his duties as second class now seemed like he was going to cut open the cadet's throat. Zack never even acted this way towards his enemies, taking in their distress with amusement. But this guy had tried to hurt Cloud. His Cloud. And that was unacceptable. However when he heart the particular blonde querying to his behaviour, Zack let out an audible grunt. Cloud was thrown onto the second class' shoulder, Zack still growling away like a kicked dog. Cloud protested loudly as the raven haired man turned and started marching away with him slouched over his shoulder, legs sprawling near Zack's face, he thumped his hands against Zack's back, unable to stop the laughter erupting from his lungs as Corporeal Riley took in the scene with extreme confusion, having never seen Zackary so protective of anyone other than his famous mentor Angeal Hewley.

Kain had immediately ran from the room, diving out the doorway and dashing through the hallway, nearly colliding with one Genesis Rhapsodos as he made his way to his own training room where Angeal most likely awaited. Genesis simply moved to the side in one swift movement as the cadet ran past him crying like a broken child, causing his scarlet jacket to ripple in the breeze created. He pouted his thin lips slightly, amused. Was Sephiroth terrorising cadets again? Brushing back soft locks from his eyes, Genesis watched as one Zackary Fair stormed out of the room also with a cute looking blonde squirming in his arms, making his way towards the third class training rooms to the right. Genesis leaned back against the wall and pulled out his black cell phone, immediately texting the gossip.

"Looks like Zack found his chocobo…"

"Zack!" continuing to squirm and gasp for air as the strange noise kept bellowing from inside him, Cloud's hands becoming fists in Zack's shirt as he merely grunted a reply, "put me down!"

Zack ignored his protesting friend, having noticed a particular first class skulking around in the hallways with his enhanced mako senses, he chose to take Cloud to the training rooms at the other side of the facility floor. Everyone knew the Casanova Genesis could cause cadets to fall madly in love with him at first sight with his endless Loveless quotes and he was not letting that happen to his blonde younger. When he finally did register Cloud's protests and slowed, allowing the blonde to slide down his chest and onto his feet, he simply grinned playfully, squatting to the floor slightly.

"You."

"…Me?"

"You never told me what happened in your dream."

Cloud's face instantly ceased all movement, the emotions disappearing under a sudden shield, Zack had never seen Cloud act this way before. The way he just suppressed all reaction, any feeling whatsoever, was so Sephiroth-like. He paused for a moment, wondering how to continue when the blonde looked like he'd had a massive breakdown. Had the dream really been that bad? No, something else had to be wrong for his younger friend to be acting so differently. He tried a different approach.

"Spar with me?"

No response. Zack wondered if Cloud even heard him beneath those golden locks he now used to cover his eyes. Zack noticed the strange glow to them and frowned slightly. Cadets were getting mako doses now? Surely not. The last he had heard, cadets were only introduced to mako once they had passed their exams into SOLDIER, and even then most did not get that glow in their eyes until they were at least four treatments in, which could take anywhere up to a year to complete. Cloud had only been here for three months.

"Cloud, your eyes…"

"So this is the infamous chocobo haired cadet. I must say Zack, I'm hurt you would try to keep him from me."

Zack audibly groaned as the commander swooped towards them, that playful smirk never leaving his lips as he purred his greeting. Cloud seemed to come somewhat out of his trance, staring at Genesis as he stood before them, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. However all Cloud could see was just another monster he and Zack had fought, just without the long, black feathered wing. Genesis noticed Cloud's eyes seemed to contain some sort of underlying hate for him and continued his act.

"He seems to not like me. Puppy, what have you been telling him about me?" Genesis turned to Zack, who was blowing the characteristic long strand of black hair out of his eyes.

"I haven't said anything, Genesis." Zack replied earnestly, though he also noted Cloud's eyes harbouring anger towards the red leathered commander. Zack wondered for a moment if he had met the commander before, but Genesis seemed blissfully unaware of ever meeting the blonde before, so that could not be it. However Cloud's eyes seemed to contain more than just some slight anger towards the commander. They appeared… worn. While the rest of the blonde was young and in it's prime, Cloud's eyes bore what could be suggested as some sort of underlying knowledge, as though despite Genesis' confusion towards being so openly glared at, Cloud seemed to recognise the first class. And he did not like him one bit.

Genesis seemed undeterred. He took it all as some new game. Tormenting cadets was a particularly enjoyed past time of his, and this cadet glaring at him simply made it all the more interesting from the usual swooning students he met. Every so often he had cadets who would collapse just from the sight of him, though it was mostly the general who had this issue when addressing the lesser cohorts. He'd never had one react like this, however. He slowly moved his hand to the pommel of his sword, noticing the blonde's eyes never leaving his own. He had also noticed the glow and wondered where the boy had come into contact with mako before, knowing full well the cadets were not allowed anywhere near the science department for their own safety. That mad father of Sephiroth's had a habit of picking up lost cadets and even third classes and doing all sorts to them, often leaving them in a comatose like state. Genesis figured the bastard got away with it due to President ShinRa's obsession with the cetra. However, this cadet was neither impaired nor seemed affected by the mako in his system. Genesis found himself slightly infatuated. He drew his blade.

Cloud ducked in one sharp movement, faster than Zack or Genesis could register even with their enhanced vision, and kicked into the commander's side with his foot, leaving Genesis sprawling across the floor. Zack stood silently, attempting to grasp what had just happened as Cloud readied his fists, standing in front of the second class.

"What the…?" Zack waved his hands frantically in the air, "Cloud! You just attacked a superior officer! What the hell are you think-!" Zack silenced as Genesis' laugh reverberated through the hallway. A warm, fragrant chuckle escaped the commander as he lay on his back on the floor, rubbing his head.

"My friend! the fates are cruel!" he sat up slightly, staring up at the scowling blonde. Entirely besotted now. He had expected the cadet's defiant look to be one of pure acting, waiting for the blonde to turn and run as soon as he slowly began to unsheathe his caster sword. He did not expect to have a foot in his side and hitting his head against the wall before he could ever manage to fully withdraw his weapon. He stopped laughing after a little while, holding out a hand to the cadet.

"Commander Genesis Rhapsodos, at your service."

Zack looked as though he were about to faint. Not only had he failed keeping his chocobo away from the lustful commander, but Cloud had only gone and captured Genesis' heart in a single kick. Cloud finally softened his eyes.

This was not the same Genesis as the one he had fought against with Zack in the reactor all those years ago. This man was nothing more than a flirtatious sadist. Cloud sighed, offering a hand to the man.

"Cloud Strife..." their fingers meeting, Genesis' eyes sparked with delight.

He then found himself implanted in Genesis' chest. Zack's outraged yell echoed through the hallways as the commander clung to the blonde with a victorious grin upon his lips, fingers playing in the cadet's hair.

"For you are beloved by the goddess..." he murmured slightly, lowering his face into Cloud's surprisingly soft hair. However before he could get a good smell of the blonde's luxurious locks the cadet was pulled from his arms.

"You are such a pervert!" Zack wailed as he brought Cloud back to his feet, the cadet blinking rapidly as he tried to take in what had just happened. Zack ignored Genesis as more laughter escaped the elder's lungs, instead turning and dragging Cloud with him. Genesis however didn't take the hint. He followed like a stray cat mewling for food, that wicked grin never leaving his face.

"My friend! Why do you fly away now?" the crimson commander easily kept up with the two, a furiously blushing Cloud looking down at his feet as Genesis paraded after them, much to the confusion of watchers by.

"I will shove a copy of Loveless up your ass if you don't stop following us." Zack warned, sending Genesis a burning glare as the besotted commander slowed slightly, hearing his phone ringing.

"Now that's just mean." he muttered, sliding his phone open and answering, "Yeah. Sorry about that. On my way now." he glanced back at the two younger males as he ran his fingers over the pommel of his sword, "Oh, by the way. I just found Zack's chocobo..."

* * *

"He's so unbearable."

Cloud was silent as Zack handed him the can of soda, kicking the vending machine in front of the third class training rooms. They sat on a metal bench attached to the wall, the blonde still blushing furiously from his encounter with the infamous crimson commander. Zack noticed his flustering and ran his hand through Cloud's hair, messing up all the spikes so they were pointing in every direction.

"I'm surprised you haven't taken someone's eye out with that hair." he chuckled quietly as he sipped the grape soda, leaning back against the wall with one arm behind his neck.

"Your hair is just as bad as mine." Cloud muttered quietly as he sat with the can between his hands, staring down at his feet. Zack scoffed.

"My hair is brilliant, thank you very much." the raven head gestured to his locks, "the ladies love it. Oh, have I introduced you to Aeris yet?"

Cloud felt a weight shift from his heart. In this world the two still had not been separated, they were very much in love. It made him hopeful. He relaxed slightly, leaning back against the wall also as Zack did, following his example.

"No… who is she?" Cloud had began to feel less sore about lying to his friend, but what else could he say? He had fallen through the exact same church roof and gone on a date with the girl he was dating in Gold Saucer, amongst other things? Zack would probably think he was insane at that rate. He smiled slightly as Zack began listing off attributes about his girlfriend.

"You've got to meet her man. She's so sweet, with the biggest green eyes and the softest brown hair…" Zack grinned widely as he thought of the seventeen year old Aeris, picturing her scolding him over stepping on the flowers, "she's usually in the sector five church, grows these amazing flowers…"

"I thought flowers couldn't grow in Midgar." Cloud replied as he acted out the part of the naïve cadet. He noticed Zack's eyebrow flick up in remembrance.

"I remember hearing that. But they have no trouble growing there, or outside her house." Zack glanced at his phone as he received a text, then started spluttering out soda, "that bastard!"

"Huh?"

Zack growled audibly.

"Genesis is only telling Angeal the most ridiculous shit heard to man." he shoved his phone back in his trouser pockets and stood up, dropping his can in the bin nearby. He turned to the blonde who sat quietly in front of him, listening as always. It was Zack's favourite thing about Cloud, how he would just silently listen without judgement. Zack pointed to the cadet.

"You. Me. Spar."

Cloud instantly regretted letting Zack lead him away from Genesis.

"I, uh. I don't have a sword…" he could have easily dealt with the commander's ridiculous flirting and obsessing over poetry, but fighting with Zack was too risky. What if Zack realised his moves almost exact replicas of his own? Most likely he'd assume he was some crazed stalker copying his style, if he didn't cut him in half first.

"Tch. There's a ton of them no one uses in the training room cupboards. Come on, I'll let you have first pick." Zack was not taking no for an answer. Something had changed about Cloud and he was going to see for himself, even if that meant beating it out of him in the training room. He wouldn't harm him, but he sure as hell wasn't going to just lay back and watch one of his friends rolling in self turmoil and do nothing about it.

Blonde hair flickering as the door slid open, Cloud entered training room 23 with a much taller Zack at his back. He made his way towards the weaponry aisles, remembering where they were kept as Zack busied himself with the technological side of things, shifting through scenes until he came to a particular.

Cloud sunk into the golden sand as he stepped away from the weapon racks, holding a standard issued broad sword in his hands. Pulling on the headset, he took in the scene with fond memories. Seagulls circled above them for a while as the setting sun cast a ray of cherry red and pumpkin orange across the landscape, the skyline of the buildings nearby creating a brilliant reflection onto the deep blue waters close by. Cloud knelt down slightly to pick up a small pink shell from the sand, the blue pixels dancing within his hand before they shattered, falling back to the terrain beneath him and reforming into the shell once more. Zack approached, swinging his sword from side to side, he noticed Cloud's soft smile and found himself also grinning.

"Costa Del Sol! I've always wanted to go there." Zack informed as Cloud turned his sapphire irises to face the ever confident second class, who pulled on his own headset and held his sword steady in front of him. At this time, Zack had not yet inherited the buster sword and was still using issued broad swords, just like the one Cloud had chosen. The blonde wondered what year this actually was, as he remembered when he had joined the cadet ranks Genesis had already gone a-wall.

"It's very…pretty." Cloud murmured as he noticed Zack's ever fond expression towards him. He had always wondered why the raven haired had taken particular interest in him out of all the cadets, even going so far as to openly defend him in front of his cohorts. Ever since he had got in a fight in the cadet cafeterias, ending with Zack appearing out of the crowd and throwing Kain out of the room by the scruff of his neck, Zack had been an ever present individual in his life as a cadet, always showing up out of the blue when he least expected it, or when he felt the worst. He could always guarantee on Zack cheering him up.

Zack noticed Cloud's reminiscing to himself and approached, sword readied, "Cloud, are you ready?"

Cloud turned to face his old friend, then nodded once. He could do this. He knew he could. Just act as though you have no idea what you're doing, but spar his attacks. He didn't want to lose an arm after all. In seconds Zack was on him, rushing forward and slashing downward. Cloud widened his eyes and parried, slashing away and leaping backward, landing with ease as Zack readied again. Why was Zack going full force? He had said this was a spar, surely? Cloud did not have time to think, however, as Zack rushed towards him again. He slashed his sword to the side, Cloud blocked with his own sword, sparks flying from the clashing metal as the two males' eyes blazed sapphire with mako.

Zack was silently cursing. Something had to have happened with Cloud for him to get this good. He was going too fast for anyone not injected with mako to keep up with. He was not trying to hurt his cadet friend, knowing he could cease his attacks if he were actually posing Cloud any danger. However the way Cloud so effortlessly blocked his every attack was as though he had done this a thousand times. His eyes showed a knowledge much deeper than that of one Cloud's age, while his footwork was perfect, despite Cloud's obvious intent to act lesser. Had Hojo got a hold of him while he was away in Kalm? Zack narrowed his eyes and slashed upward. Cloud leapt up, twisting backward, he swung his sword downward, casting some sort of strange power from his sword in a stream of blue and sending a flicker of Zack's hair into the wind. Zack blinked. That was not any move cadets were taught. Who the hell had been teaching Cloud such moves?

Cloud landed around ten feet from his old mentor. Zack was clearly bewildered and Cloud swore to himself. How could he be so stupid? Just let him win! But if he could show Zack his true power, then he could have a chance to rise the SOLDIER ranks far quicker than he would have as just a petty cadet. But it also increased the risk of the science department noticing him and for the entire scenario of his previous world to simply repeat itself yet again. Cloud readied his sword for Zack's next attack, waiting on the second class as he ignored his cell ringing yet again.

Zack did a couple of squats, much to Cloud's confusion. The second class smiled.

"Hey, lighten up. We're just training, no?"

Cloud relaxed slightly as his friend suddenly kicked back and relaxed on the sand, taking in the last of the evening rays. Zack pulled out his phone and answered, sick of the ringing.

"Yeah? Angeal, I told you. I'm training… no, I wont be back till later… ugh, tell Genesis I'll burn Loveless if he keeps this up."

Cloud approached him with heavy footsteps. The way Zack looked lying there…

Cloud fell back in pain as the memories wracked his body with emotional agony. He grabbed his head and pulled at his hair, trying to block out the memories with psychical pain instead. The image of Zack near motionless as he lay on his back, coated a mixture in dark blood and cold rain, body ran through with bullets, holding out the drenched, battered sword to him.

_"My honour, my dreams…they're yours now."_

"Cloud!"

Cloud snapped back to reality as he felt Zack's hands running down his arms, holding him in place as he shook his body. Cloud blinked a few times as Zack exhaled lowly, frowning, eyes softened.

"Cloud…what's happened to you…?"

_AN ;; I LOVE Genesis. He's one of my favourite characters and one of the few reasons I actually played FF7 Crisis Core. I like the idea of him as being a bit of a tease and nuisance around the facility before he has his breakdown._

_PS; Sephiroth wont make an appearance for a while guys, he's busy in Wutai terrorising Yuffie._

_PSS; Thank you everyone for the follows/reviews/favs, it really makes me want to keep writing this. I know I'm not the best writer around, but I hope I can make some sort of progress in my skills whilst writing this story in the following months. So yeah, keep reading, yes? :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_AN ;; REVIEWS, GLORIOUS GLORIOUS REVIEWS. They make me so happy. I might make it that I wait for at least two new reviews before I write/post another chapter, they really do make writing this story all the more fun._

_Mr Zackary Fair, being paranoid of the stunning Genesis comes with the job! You're going to have a lot on your hands if you want to keep the crimson commander away from Cloud~_

**CHAPTER SIX**

Cloud scowled in the mirror as he tugged at his hair, rolling his eyes in exasperation after it became clear his hair was not going to settle. Zack lay on his bunk in the cadet dormitory, his eyes closed as though he was enjoying some sort of amusing daydream. His boots kicked off across the floor, the other cadets had quickly made their escape when the two had entered. At first Kain's three puppets had began growling lowly as he entered, ice daggers shooting from their eyes, but as soon as the second class stepped one foot into the room the cadets had fled past him. Hearing Zack's chuckle from behind where he stood, Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"It never gets tiring." the raven haired SOLDIER declared before he took over the confines of Cloud's small, thin mattress, yanking off his boots and flinging them into the air, not really caring where they landed, "I can see why Sephiroth and Genesis have such fun."

Cloud attempted a wry smile as he noticed how he looked in the small, cracked mirror, having completely forgotten about Zack's previous destruction of his hair. He launched towards his reflection and madly began to attempt to make his hair seem somewhat presentable. He didn't need even more hassle for his annoying do than he already got. Zack on the other hand seemed uninterested in Cloud's habits, his face relaxed entirely, arms crossed behind his black spiked head. Cloud glanced back at his elder, finding a small smile managing to creep across his lips. Zack really was just like a puppy. Cloud could imagine a perfect set of black dog ears and a fluffy tail emerging from under where he lay, slowly gliding from side to side with peaceful content.

"Zack…" the name escaped his lips before Cloud could even realise it, his sapphire eyes softened into deep blue pools of mako.

Zack's imaginary ears perked as he opened his eyelids slightly, turning his pupils towards the cadet. That signature grin made him part his lips slightly as Cloud shuffled closer to him, sitting on the bed beside him. Zack ran his hand over Cloud's back, sending a burning sensation through his body, his heart pounding in his chest. Cloud had always loved it when his friend had stroked his hair, held him in his arms, kissed his forehead…

Despite being in separate containments during their four years under Hojo's madness, Cloud had always felt safe. Zack was only a few feet from him, and when the two managed to gain some consciousness as they lay submerged in the concentrated mako, the two would lock eyes. Zack's were always filled with reassurance, a constant reminder that he would get them out of there, giving Cloud the hope and strength to carry on. Even in his darkest days, Cloud would be able to pull himself together, bring back that solemn mask to his face when he remembered the way Zack refused to break, how he had given them both the power to survive. And Cloud could never, would never, be able to show Zack how much he loved him for that.

"Gaia to spiky…"

Cloud smiled to himself as he drew back to reality once more. He had really got into the habit of ending up in his memories whilst engaging in conversations recently. Zack was sitting up, his legs crossed on the bed, large feet twitching slightly under faded white socks as the second class grinned, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"You've got a habit of doing that." the amused puppy began.

"I know…"

"So, what did you want to tell me?"

Cloud was silent. If he told Zack the truth, the whole truth, the man would think he was mad. He cared not for what people thought of him, but when it was Zack… everything mattered. Lying to his friend was the most painful wound he could ever inflict upon himself. But what choice did he have?

"What…what if I told you…this has all happened before?"

Zack was deadpanned, as though he was in deep concentration. His famous grin had disappeared into the fullness of his lips, instead he bit his lower lip with interest.

"…Go on?"

Pulling blonde hair away from his eyes, he looked Zack straight in the eyes.

"I had this…dream," he swallowed nervously as Zack's stare never left him, "the general…" he could not bring himself to say that man's name, "he went insane, tried to destroy the world, you died saving me…" it was not the whole truth, but what was he supposed to say? At least this small snippet of truth was better than telling him nothing. It felt as though a small weight was being lifted from his shoulders from the world of pain he carried endlessly, as the raven head sat back slightly.

"Cloud, you have some weird dreams."

"Yeah…" great. Zack was laughing at him. He was just too honourable to do it out loud.

"I've had weird dreams like that too, sometimes…" Zack seemed to fluster for a moment as he rubbed a large hand over the back of his head, keeping his legs crossed as he sat on the dingy mattress, "Angeal gets mad at me, and tells me I'm not worthy, that I have no honour…" he chuckled once, "heh. Silly, I know. But I used to be so paranoid that he would think I wasn't good enough." his eyes suddenly hardened, that Zackary Fair confidence flowing through him, "but I know if I keep training, and never give up on my dreams, I'm good enough."

Cloud sat for a moment saying nothing. Zack had never told him about this before. He always seemed so self secure in himself, he was always the one bringing the rest of the army back in arms if they ever fell for any reason. This side of Zack… he truly was such a puppy.

"Why are you telling me this?" Cloud had to ask. Zack had finally shown some weakness, to him of all people, a lowly cadet. He wondered for a moment if Zack and his mentor had some kind of relationship deeper than teacher and student but he quickly dismissed the idea. Angeal from what Zack had told him, and from the rumours he had heard as a cadet, was as close to asexual as any straight man could get. If anything he'd marry his honour.

Zack had a playful smile on his lips.

"Because you're my friend, and I get what you're going through. Dreams mean a lot, and other times, they mean nothing…" he waved his hands frantically, spluttering, "not that I'm saying your dreams don't mean anything! I just mean the weird dreams, like Sephiroth, man, that guy may be a bit cold, but he's not a murderer."

Cloud held back a bitter laugh. Not a murderer. That man was a sociopath to the bone.

"And, I'm far too good to get killed." Zack grinned widely as he pulled Cloud into his chest, arms wrapping around his waist as he held the shorter boy, "I'll be a hero, and you can be my sidekick."

The blonde teenager rested his head against Zack's shirt, listening to his steady heart beat, he closed his eyes and relaxed under Zack's warm touch. Zack's own blue eyes were alight with curiosity as he felt the cadet psychically relax in his arms, his shoulders slouching, fingers unclenching from the small fists they almost always became. They sat there together for a while, neither saying anything, the room silent other than the soft breathing coming from the two males. Zack had one hand sliding down Cloud's back until it reached the edge of his shirt, a couple of tanned fingers slightly moving under his grey shirt, the fabric sliding away from Cloud's pale skin as his hand began to run up Cloud's back, fingers trailing over his spine. Cloud's eyes began to widen as he felt the strange touch on his back, causing his groin to tighten, a wickedly hot sensation lingering in his stomach.

"Zackary Fair, get your ass out of the cadet dorms this instance!"

Zack's hand abruptly pulled away as he hit his head on the upper bunk's metal frame, causing a loud thud to echo through the room and out into the hallway. Corporeal Riley came storming in with lithe athletic grace, finding the small blonde cadet crouching over a bruised second class SOLDIER as he wailed in protest of the sudden pain in his head.

"What the hell do ShinRa make these beds out of!?" Zack's anguish was short lived as Riley grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and started dragging him out, forgetting the fact Zack was shoeless, his boots still laying around the concrete floor.

"Second class soldiers should not be fraternizing in the cadet faculties!" Riley continued his lecture as Zack whined, being dragged from the room as Cloud sat on his bed watching with bewilderment. The other cadets slowly began to make their way in, seeming to avoid Zack's boots as though they were cursed by Hades. After Zack's protests started to fade into background noise, the sound of the cadets chatting away to each other blocking out the second class' loudness, Cloud sat back, leaning against the wall. He slid his own hand down his back, tracing circles where Zack had touched him. What was that? The elder trying to comfort him? Or something… else?

Cloud shook his head. Zack had absolutely no interest in him. They were like brothers, or at least in his own world they had been. In this case Zack was most definitely heterosexual, considering he was dating the beautiful sector five cetra. Cloud eventually got up and made his way towards Zack's scuffed boots, running his hands over the heavy metal caps, he leaned over the pick them up.

"Gathering your boyfriend's shit after he crashes our dorm? How _romantic_."

Cloud exhaled loudly, now at the end of his tether with Kain's irritating comments. He could easily continue to ignore him, as he had done in his other life, but this time the planet had given him the strength so he need not lay back and take the insults with a pinch of salt. After he carried Zack's boots over to the side of his bed, putting them next to his own, Cloud turned to face the brute who had made his life hellish.

"Could you possibly be quiet, just for an hour?"

The entire room fell silent as the words left Cloud's mouth. Kain blinked a few times, taken aback, he didn't quite know how to respond. First the smaller, younger boy beat him at a simple spar, now he was talking back? Unacceptable. Kain lifted himself from his own bunk, approaching the irritated teenager with an amused sneer carved onto his expression.

"You want to say that again, runt?" Kain was not joined by the other cadets, surprise to Cloud. The others sat watching, motionless, from the side, not sure how this confrontation would draw out.

Cloud sighed.

"I asked you, if you ever learn to keep your annoying trap shut." fuck the niceties. Kain was a bully and a waste of oxygen. He was nothing but a parasite throwing his weight around, using his strength to hurt others. Cloud had no time for such a being.

However he didn't wait long before he started running as the next words came gritting out of Kain's jaws.

"You're. Fucking. Dead."

* * *

Genesis mused to himself as he looked over Cloud Strife's files for the third time that day. Considering Genesis was arrogant, autocratic and demanding, he never really paid more than a glance at the cadets, but this one was quite different from the usual slackers attempting to join the ranks of SOLDIER. Yes, Cloud was quite different indeed. Genesis, preferring the female sex, wasn't that interested in the cadet, although it had been fun to pull Zackary's strings for a little while about it, even peeking Angeal's interests, but he knew someone who would be.

Dialling the number, he wondered if the call would actually get through to Wutai at this hour. Or if the man was busy slicing open entire armies with his unnaturally long blade. When he heard the phone click open, Genesis grinned.

"My friend! Your desire, is the bringer of life. The gift of the goddess!"

"…What do you want Genesis?"

"Why is everyone so cruel to me recently!" Genesis leaned back on his leather chair as he kicked his feet up onto the office desk, holding Cloud's files in his other hand, he leaned the cell phone against his padded shoulder and flicked through the papers, "my dear general, I have found you the most delightful chocobo."

"…I have no interest in raising fowl."

Why was this man so hard to crack? Genesis took it all in with ease, however, as he ignored the general's obvious lack of curiosity. He tried a different approach.

"You know how Angeal and I are always trying to set you up with people…"

"From what I recall, Angeal takes no part in your matchmaking schemes."

"Sephy darling, I'm hurt! You think I do this alone, with the lack of time I have? Of course Angeal helps me! He simply does not enjoy admitting the fact."

"Genesis, the last time you suggested someone date me, they were left unconscious on the fourth floor for two hours."

"It was hilarious."

"You told medics she had overdosed on mako."

"Like I said, hilarious." Genesis snorted as he glanced at the plant in the corner of the office. It annoyed him. He sent a blaze of fire towards it and set it alight right there.

"…Did you just burn another plant?"

"Why would you think such a thing?"

"…"

Genesis purred into the phone, he had one last tactic.

"Are you denying every suggestion I give to you because secretly you desire the one and only Zackary Fair?"

He was hung up.

Genesis chuckled to himself as he put his phone away, ignoring the burning plant as a few ShinRa employees dashed into the room to put the fire out. He got up and passed by them, waving his hand.

"And don't replace it. I hate those things."

* * *

Cloud heard Kain crashing into the empty water fountain barrels he left scattered around the hallway as he continued to run, ignoring the yells coming from the furious elder cadet behind him. Cloud did not remember the last time he'd had so much fun as trashing the ShinRa facility, jinking past third and second classes as he avoided Kain's twitching claws as they reached out to catch him. Despite Kain's attention usually being as long as that of a goldfish's, the boy was clearly determined to catch him and beat him into a bloodied pulp. However due to Cloud's build he was much faster, with agility like that of a greyhound, and the wits of a Cheshire cat. He had nothing to fear from. As long as he didn't stop running.

He could practically feel Kain's breath on the back of his neck as he slowed enough to choose a route to take when he came to two staircases, either up or down, and launched up the stairs. The boy was clearly out of breath but refused to admit it, while Cloud's small body was so infused with mako that the only change he had was the radiating blue coming from his irises as his muscles burned with the exercise. This felt like nothing more than a small morning jog to Cloud, who had no problem navigating the facility due to the building being the exact same layout as his own world's.

When Cloud eventually slowed, he had come to a dead end. This floor required a key card to get into and Cloud was a mere cadet. He turned, finding Kain was not far behind, saliva running from his lips as he panted loudly, wheezing as though he was a deflating balloon. Cloud leaned back against the wall, crossing his legs as Kain slowly drew closer, glaring furiously at him. The blonde did not consider himself a cocky, mocking person, however this was much too amusing for him to behave in any other way.

"You quite alright there?" he queried, teasing as Kain nearly dropped to his knees, completely at loss of oxygen.

"You…little…ugh…" he finally collapsed to one knee, before staggering back to his feet to ready his fists, "I'm…gonna…beat the crap…outta you…"

"Oh, I'm pissing myself."

"I'm gonna… break you… in two…"

"I might have to make some popcorn at this rate. It sounds like quite a show is about to begin." As he commented, Cloud watched as Kain's face turned scarlet with absolute rage. Having regained the use of his lungs, Kain bit down on his lips, drawing blood. Having never been so insulted before by one of his bully victims, Kain clearly wasn't coping well with being stood up too. Cloud waited for the cadet's attack, still leaning back against the wall.

The first punch was easily anticipated, as Cloud simply twisted to the side, grabbing Kain's arm and directing it towards the wall. A horrific crunching broke through the otherwise quiet floor as Kain's fist collided with pure steel. His face contorted in pure agony, eyes widened till the pupils seemed dilated, the boy let out a scream. Cloud twitched an ear, half wishing he'd covered his ears as tears streamed from Kain's eyes, the cadet ranting in his misery.

"You bastard! I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna rip off your head and shove it up your ass!"

Cloud avoided the second punch just as easily as the first, Kain's second fist becoming implanted in the wall yet again. He was quite terrible at this, it seemed. Why had Cloud felt so beaten down by an idiot who couldn't even land a punch?

"I'll fucking kill you! I swear to Shiva's tits you're dead Strife!"

"Charming."

Kain silenced immediately as the man approached them, quite amused by the whole situation. Cloud swallowed bile down his throat as the raven bearded man stopped in between them, immediately requesting their names.

"Names and dorm registration?" Cloud recognised Commander Angeal Hewley from both the descriptions given from the other cadets and from Zack's old memories. He straightened out his back, pulling away from the wall and saluting the superior officer.

"Sir, Cloud Strife of E dorm, sir." those lapis lazuli optics turning to examine the blonde cadet in front of him, the tiniest fraction of a smile cracked upon Angeal's otherwise stern face.

"Zack's friend?"

Cloud nodded.

Angeal seemed to take this as a token of forgiveness. He stepped to the side to allow Cloud to pass by.

"Return to your dorm, cadet. There will be no punishment…" Angeal turned back to Kain, stopped, then glanced back at Cloud, "and tell Zackary not to make a habit of entering the cadet dormitories. He left Corporeal Riley in quite a state, he's also managed to lose his boots..."

Cloud felt laughter about to break through his lips and nodded quickly, swiftly passing the first class and a cringing Kain as he stood trembling before one Angeal Hewley. As soon as Cloud passed by, he heard the storm break through as Angeal turned on the boy, becoming a harbinger of terror. Cloud wondered if Angeal had ever yelled at Zack before but dismissed the idea. Zack was far too lovable for anyone to ever become mad at.


	7. Chapter 7

_AN;; Nyahhh! 20 followers?! C: _  
_You guys sure know how to make a girl happy. Heh._

_Well, you delivered. I asked for 2 reviews and got them. So here's another chapter~_

_Sephiroth still wont be appearing this chapter, either. However Genesis will still enjoy tormenting him via the brilliant invention of the cell phone. Poor Sephy. Try to catch all of Genesis' sneaky Loveless quotes he manages to slip into /every/ conversation. _  
_Review, yes? :3_

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Hiding his irritation, Zack lay back on the couch of his and Angeal's apartment. The one and only Genesis Rhapsodos sat on the opposite sofa, a near constant smirk gracing his handsome features. Angeal himself was busy in the kitchen cooking them all dinner, to which Zack's stomach growled continuously on repeat every two minutes.

"So will Sephy be here tonight?" Zack queried, noticing the constant wicked glint in Genesis' eyes.

"The General is still in Wutai on a mission, he wont be here for another week at least." Angeal replied as he stirred the metal pot with a wooden spoon, his buster sword on it's stand in the living room, being the sole piece of decoration the mentor and apprentice owned. The sword itself with it's brilliant craftsmanship and colossal size was enough for any guest to fall to their knees in awe, anyhow.

"What a shame." Genesis purred quietly, appearing as though he was examining Zack's every move. Zack found the entire situation extremely awkward.

"Genesis, why are you watching me?" the raven haired demanded, finding ignoring the crimson commander was not a viable option.

"Am I not allowed to admire?" the elder replied with complete and perfect ease, as though he made it a habit to watch younger males on a regular basis. Zack wouldn't put it past him.

"No. You're not." Angeal was the one who replied for his apprentice, grunting as he nearly spilt oil on his hands whilst making the Wutaian stir fry. Zack's imaginary puppy ears perked as he heard his mentor's sound of disapproval, his eyes flashing with anxiety before they were replaced with slight relief, grateful that Angeal hadn't burnt himself.

Genesis found the two very homely together and felt slightly out of place. However he was enjoying himself and found no reason to move from his position on the sofa. Raising his feet up on the sofa, Zack pouted.

"Angeal! Genesis has shoes on the furniture!"

Genesis scowled at the second class who in turn stuck out his tongue.

"Very mature." Genesis hissed as Angeal glanced over at them.

"Genesis. Take your shoes off." his command was final. While Zack could poke fun at the commander, if Genesis was a pain, it would be Angeal who would grab him by the scruff and throw him out of the apartment. Genesis stubbornly removed his boots and dropped them to the ground by the sofa arm, Zack grinning victoriously. Genesis decided he'd take a new route to jab needles at the twenty year old.

"So, how is your delightful little blonde friend, Zackary?" the twenty three year old questioned, smirking to himself as the raven head instantly lost his grin and began growling.

"None of your business, pervert."

"Now that's not very nice. I am simply inquiring into the well being of a cadet." Genesis countered with little challenge.

Zack just scowled even more.

"He's fine. Not that you trying to molest him helped."

"Pride is lost! I simply gave him a hug, much like the ones you grace us all with! Do you think so little of me, Zackary?"

"You can try to put it anyway you like, Gen. You're a pervert and everyone knows it." Zack muttered as Angeal finally noticed the bickering pair.

"Both of you. Behave or no pudding." trying to relieve the antagonism within the room, the man ran a hand through the stubble on his beard as he filled out the plates.

"Perv." Zack whispered, loud enough for the mako enhanced ears of Genesis to pick up on, while Angeal simply began to ignore the dispute again.

"Jealous."

"I am not!"

"Puppy. Down." Zack instantly lowered his body in a canine like way as he was scolded by Angeal, Genesis smirking with delight at the outcome of their argument. Angeal placed the plates on the table in front of them, handing Zack the cutlery. Zack spread them out equally amongst the plates, but not without stabbing a fork into Genesis' plate with a playful pout on his lips. Genesis chuckled as he took the fork, ignoring the childish behaviour of the raven head.

"Speaking of cadet Strife, I encountered him earlier today." Angeal mentioned, Zack's invisible ears instantly perking. Genesis pretended to eat his food with little interest in the conversation, however the other two knew full well he was listening. "He was having some sort of scuffle with another cadet. Strife handled himself pretty well."

"See! I told you, he's special." Zack beamed as Angeal simply nodded, then Zack blinked, "wait, was it that Kain kid? In the name of Odin, I swear Angeal, I'll let Genesis molest him if he keeps harassing Cloud."

"Hey! I'm not a pervert!"

"Keep denying it, old man!" Zack countered as Angeal rolled his eyes yet again.

The three ate together as they did regularly; nightly for Angeal and Zack, while a brash Genesis would make appearances every few days, begging for some of Angeal's delicious home cooking. Zack was never quiet throughout the whole meal, discussing the latest mission he had been assigned to with Angeal. Genesis merely continued to smirk as Zack listed the enemies he had defeated, including quite a few devil riders. Zack would only cease his speaking, even when his mouth was filled to the brim with food, when Angeal made a comment towards the conversation, which Zack would always agree with eagerly as he swallowed down food.

"Zack, stop talking with your mouth full." Angeal would scold as the second class put up a slight protest, but upon seeing a strict raise of the first class' eyebrow, would swallow the food instantly before he began to speak again.

Genesis thought it all adorable, despite however much he enjoyed tormenting the second class. It really was like pulling on a dog's leash when it came to mocking Zackary Fair. Genesis, ever the sadist, found it both endearing, and addicting.

"So, Zack. You never told us what Strife's dream was about." Genesis glided into the conversation with the statement which instantly made Angeal frown at his immaturity, and Zack take the bait like a fish on the line.

"It's none of your business!" Zack retorted, Genesis was easily able to picture the pinned back dog ears, the ruffled fur on edge, the stiff tail. Had this kid seriously meant to be born a human?

"But if he was crying, it had to be something bad. And that just piques my curiosity." Genesis countered, playing the act of the cat on the fence, tormenting the chained dog. Angeal would be the chain for now, but the crimson commander knew he would have to play this game sneakily if he wanted to get his information without Zack flying into a rage and causing the alarms to go off. At this current time, however, Angeal was finishing his food, finally getting a chance to eat having had to listen to Zack pouring out information about his week.

"He just had a bad dream, that's all." Zack muttered, unwilling to say any more, knowing full well how much Genesis loved the gossip. The man could bother other cadets, but he was deliberately picking on Cloud now just to get under his skin.

"Details, Zackary. Details." Genesis slid forward, now leaning on the table, he stared up at Zack with large sapphire eyes, deliberately widened to appear adorable.

"That doesn't work with me, Gen."

"It works with Angeal." Genesis purred as his old friend turned to notice the sweet looking commander displaying himself across the table, arms crossed and chin resting on his tanned skin. Angeal smiled slightly.

"Pudding?" As the two others nodded rapidly, Angeal chuckled, getting up and taking the dishes to the kitchen before he started to prepare the desert. With Angeal out of the way, Genesis directed all of his missiles at the second class.

"Was it a sex dream?"

Zack spluttered his drink.

"What the hell!? No! It wasn't!"

"You're not convincing me, Zackary."

"It's none of your business!"

"Incorrect. All gossip is my business. So, was it me he dreamed about?"

"Piss off!"

"No." Angeal rolled his eyes at Genesis refusal to give up his incessant demand to know what the blonde cadet had dreamt of. Zack eventually snapped after the crimson commander countered his every rebuke with complete ease.

"He dreamt I got killed, alright? Sephiroth went all loopy and tried to destroy the world, and I died saving him. Is that enough for you?!"

Genesis smirked. Always so easy.

Zack on the other hand was clutching his lips in horror. His eyes widened, he stared at the mocking commander and suddenly snapped.

"You did that on purpose!"

"Of course I did. I should really be a TURK at this rate, you're so easy to extract information from, Zack." Genesis murmured, running a hand through his hair, he noticed the glare of complete hatred coming from his younger friend, "Don't worry. I'm not planning on spreading this. I was simply curious."

Zack seemed to relax slightly at that. He sighed.

"Cloud would never trust me again if he found out I told someone." he looked down at his feet, clearly feeling terrible in himself.

Genesis felt a pang of guilt. He grumbled to himself before continuing.

"Usually when I hear about cadets dreaming of Sephiroth, it's much more towards the…sexual side of things…" Genesis noted.

"Yeah. I didn't understand it either." the second class hadn't noticed Angeal was listening in, leaning back against the fridge with the ice cream bowls in his hands. Genesis glanced at the first class who simply said nothing, continuing to stare into the wall opposite him as Zack sighed. "I mean, he's fine now, but why would he picture Seph of all people going mad on us? If anything, you're more likely to go a-wall, Gen."

"Always so kind. Thank you, Zackary." Genesis muttered, the idea of turning on ShinRa completely against his beliefs. Angeal moved towards them and took a seat next to Zack, turning on the television with the remote. Zack turned his eyes to watch the wide screen, which just so happened to be the news. Sephiroth was plastered all over the screen. Genesis audibly growled.

"Aren't these people tired of hearing about him? Gaia, he's on the tv at least twice a week. It's insane."

"He is a hero." Zack murmured, eyes full of respect. Genesis rolled his eyes.

"Hello. Angeal and I are both pretty damn good too, but do we ever get on the news? I don't think so."

"Sometimes that has it's benefits." Angeal pointed out, "Sephiroth cannot go anywhere outside the facility without being mobbed by fans and camera crews."

Genesis smirked, "but my fan club is filled with beautiful teenage girls. I wouldn't see the problem in being mobbed as you say."

"Bet there's at least ten creepy old men." Zack commented to himself quietly, Angeal chuckling lightly as Genesis growled.

"At least I have a fan club."

"You two are insufferable." Angeal ignored them as his phone rang. He noticed who was calling and smiled. "Speak of the devil." he opened his cell, and greeted their friend fondly, "Sephiroth. How have you been?"

Genesis flew across the table and landed on the two, struggling to get to the phone.

"What the hell! Get off me!" Zack protested as the crimson commander flailed on their laps, ignoring the fact he had spilled his ice cream and pawing at Angeal's face as the man held him back with one arm.

"Ugh. One second Seph, I've got a Genesis clinging to me." Angeal didn't get a chance to say anymore as Genesis managed to snag the phone, grinning victoriously and leaping back onto his feet, dashing away across the room as Angeal and Zack lay bewildered and irritated together on the now ice cream stained sofa.

"Sephy! They're running an article about you on the news right now." Genesis purred with great delight as he heard the general's exasperated sigh.

"Put Angeal back on."

"No no, not until you tell me what you think of the little chocobo I found you." Genesis heard the outraged cry coming from Zack before he finished his sentence, upon the word 'chocobo'. "You got the picture I sent, right?"

"I'll kill you!" Zack was on his feet and rushing after Genesis, who simply used the couches as obstacles, stopping Zack from getting him as he twisted from side to side, trying to grab Genesis.

"Yes. I received the image. However I have no interest in prepubescent boys, Genesis."

"But he is so adorable!" Genesis protested, keeping his leering eyes on the furious raven head as he clawed down onto a pillow, wanting to ring the commander's neck. Zack eventually took the option of jumping over the couch itself, Genesis barely containing his laughter.

"I do not care for looks. Now give Angeal the phone."

Genesis pouted, stopping as Zack tackled him to the floor with a thud. Angeal walked over to them and picked up the phone from Genesis' hands as Zack grabbed the commander's collar, shaking him.

"You're such a bastard!"

"Sorry about that," Angeal coughed into his fist to signal to his apprentice to let the laughing commander go. Zack seemed unwilling at first, his eyes narrowing as Genesis purred in delight, then clung to him in a bone crushing hug, "Yes. The two of them are currently intertwined and rolling around on the floor…"

"Get off!" Zack protested as Genesis buried his head into Zack's hair, not releasing his grip in the slightest.

"But you are so cute! Getting jealous over chocobo cadet, it's so adorable!" Genesis continued to rile Zack, as the twenty year old let out an outraged cry and head butted him directly in the nose. Genesis lay on the floor with his limbs spread out in defeat as Zack stumbled to his feet, rubbing his head where he had used himself as a human battering ram. "Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul!" Zack ignored the commander as he walked past Angeal, mouthing an apologetic 'sorry' before beginning to clean up the mess they had made.

Angeal raised an eyebrow at Genesis, who still lay there on the carpet seeming quite content. Zack decided not to be childish and stand on his fingers, walking around the crippled actor instead. Genesis pouted slightly, not enjoying being ignored.

"Did your mission get rescheduled? You've been in Wutai for nearly a month." Angeal continued as he took a seat on the couch, using Genesis' legs as a small leverage for his feet. Genesis merely purred at being touched, knowing at least a minor amount of attention was being directed towards him.

"Tell him to bring back some Wutaian seaweed. I love that stuff. And chocolate. Lots of chocolate." Genesis piped up, Zack moving away as he went to his room, noticing he had his own text. With the immediate smile spreading across Zack's lips, Genesis guessed it was no one other than the chocobo cadet Strife who had left Zackary a message. However he was quite enjoying listening in to Sephiroth and Angeal's phone call and found no desire to move from his current location.

"Genesis asks for seaweed and chocolate. Yes. I have no idea why either."

Genesis simply smirked in satisfaction.

* * *

In his room, Zack looked at the text he had received, reading it a couple of times just to make sure it really was what it said. He pressed in the numbers into his phone and rang up a particular blonde cadet he would openly admit to finding very enjoyable to be with.

"Cloud? You busy?"

Zack listened as Cloud's soft yawn came from the other end. It was only eight o'clock, but cadets were worked hard, and after today's training, Zack figured Cloud was right to be so tired.

"What's up? I heard from Angeal about that idiot Kain giving you shit again. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," another yawn from Cloud's end, "I just ran for a while, he was too tired to really be of any threat."

Zack let a sigh of relief escape him. "I can always request you get moved to one of the other dorms. E dorm always has some idiots in it."

"No, I'll be fine Zack." Cloud seemed as though he would fall asleep at any moment.

"And about your dream? Any more thoughts on that?" Zack pressed. He really wasn't sure Cloud was fully content. He just needed one excuse to get out of the apartment, to see his cadet. However Cloud was not budging.

"No. I figured it just meant nothing, like you said." Zack frowned as he pressed the phone further against his ear, sliding off his boots as he readied for bed.

He noticed the bulge in his pants.

Zack swallowed as he heard one of Cloud's ragged breaths on the phone, another yawn threatening to impede the silence. He slid his free hand over the bulge, his body instinctively twitching. Gods, no. Why was he hard just from hearing Cloud's voice?

"Zack, you there?"

Zack moved his hand away in a flash, glancing around the room as though Angeal might walk in at any moment.

"Uh, yeah. I'm here."

Zack felt dirty. Cloud was secure around him, felt safe. And yet here he was with his hardened erection, desperately wanting to relieve himself. Another soft murmur from Cloud's end on the phone made his cock twitch with desire. He bit down on his lower lip as he slid his free hand under his boxers, running his thumb over the tip. He held back the desperate sigh which escaped him, threatening to sound like a pervert over the phone with the cadet. This was so wrong, so wrong. Not only was Cloud his friend, he was only fifteen, and male! Yet it seemed so _right_.

"Zack, I'm gonna go now. I think I'll fall asleep any second."

But Zack did not respond. He slid his fingers over his foreskin, stroking softly, gliding his hand up and down the shaft as he continued to bite down onto his lip. His back beginning to arch, a strangled moan escaped him.

"…Zack?"

"Sorry. Hit my head again."

"You're so clumsy."

"Heh…Night, Cloud…" Zack closed his eyes, pressing down on the end call button, he ended his call with the cadet. He pulled down his boxers to his ankles, sitting with his knees up, he began to work on his erection, panting quietly. Genesis and Angeal were still in the living room, which was only around ten feet from where he lay. Not only that, but with the enhanced senses due to mako injections, they would most definitely hear any noise louder than a soft sigh.

Running fingers through his hair, he let out a silent moan as he continued to stroke the weeping organ, desperate for release. He tried to think of Aeris, of any girl, of huge, succulent breasts, but his mind just kept jolting back to the image of Cloud's innocent expression, his cute smile, his adorable laugh. Everything about the chocobo haired cadet…

Zack imagined Cloud's lips on his own, imagined it was Cloud's mouth around his weeping erection, pretending his fingers were Cloud's tongue, running over the head of his cock, stroking the sides, kissing and sucking the skin... Gods, he hated himself for this. But he couldn't stop. Not now that he'd started. The need for release, the overwhelming desire, overpowered even his sense of morality. A thick trail of clear precum leaked out from the tip onto his fingers, simply making it easier to stroke quicker with the added lubrication, Zack's legs twitching convulsively as he felt his orgasm draw closer, and closer, and closer, until…

He heard Genesis' stupid laughter in the other room and found his erection died within moments. Cursing, Zack bit down on his arm, hitting his head back against the pillow behind him. He tried to block out the commander's laughter but found he could not. Zack stubbornly hoped Angeal would throw Genesis out the apartment but knew that this was unlikely.

"Fucking Genesis." he growled as he tried to picture Cloud again, but it was gone. He sighed. He should really count this as a blessing, what would his mentor think, knowing he was masturbating over a fifteen year old boy? What would Aeris think? He closed his eyes, yanking the duvet over him, and prepared for a long sleepless night.


	8. Chapter 8

_AN;; 24 followers? I am honoured! Please note I spell some words with 'u' as I'm British, so if the spell checker on your computers starts having a go at you, just ignore it :P_

_Genesis is simply delightful, is he not? He's the most fun to write with, although Zack is also an interesting character to portray. I hope i'm getting their personalities down right, I had to change Cloud's slightly from his Advent Children version to the game version where you first meet Barret and the rest of AVALANCHE._

_Cloud's a bit plagued with nightmares due to being sent to a paradox world. He's still not over the fact he failed his last world. Until then he's going to have to keep reliving nightmares over and over. Poor chocobo._

_So yeah. Keep reviewing, even a few worded reviews really do make me happy and want to keep writing this story. :)_

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

_Burning, trickling sweat ran down Cloud's forehead as he held the buster sword in his battle worn hands, the flames lapping at his breaking body, mako pooling around him from the very lifestream itself. They stood within the town square of their hometown, the mountainous village of Nibelheim, rabid wolves of fire lurking ever closer towards them, burning jaws snapping and tearing apart anything in their paths. Slaughtered corpses of the villagers lay around them, thick, oozing blood mixing with the lifestream as the planet let out a broken wail, Jenova's hateful taint flooding Gaia's very soul._

_Cloud had thrown the monsters back, the buster sword in it's rust worn state from where he had ripped it from Zack's grave to defend his sole remaining ally, the last battle drawing to a close. Standing as a SOLDIER, Cloud ignored the deep, horrific wounds to his mortal body, refusing to give up the fight. He would not fail. Not again. He would save them all, he would._

_Tifa clung to his waist, holding onto his jacket as the fires edge closer to where they stood, Cloud's sword slashing away at the flames to give Tifa the chance to run, but she each time she refused to leave his side._

_'For the glory of Wutai!'_

_The minions drew closer to them, needle like fangs glistening in the firelight, saliva running in gallons from those crooked jaws. Claws clattered against rubble from the burning buildings as they shifted through the flames, feline like pupils narrowing into tight slits as low hisses drew from their lungs. Cloud refused to turn away from the approaching enemy._

_'Hmph. Guess I have no choice. It's time...to save the world...'_

_"Tifa, just run!"_

_"No! I'm not leaving you!"_

_A low, maniacal laughter echoed through the darkness beyond the crimson flames, Cloud's heart beginning to pound madly in the confines of his ribcage as he instantly recognised that dreadful sound. He felt the blood draining from his face as a single black feather glided down before him, landing in the mako and curling back, turning to ash within seconds of contact with the sickly blue liquid._

_'I gotta fight. 'Cause if I don't...the planet's gonna die. So I'm gonna keep fightin'!'_

_As they drew closer, closer, and closer still, Cloud clenched down his fingers onto the hold of Zack's weapon, blood running down his face from where it drenched his blonde locks. Tifa slid her arms away from Cloud, the ex SOLDIER expecting her to be readying her fists for battle._

_"Tifa, stay back!"_

_But no received no response. Cloud glanced to the side, expecting to find her standing stubbornly by him. But she was not. He turned fully and searched the landscape for his friend, becoming desperate when he saw she was no longer there._

_"Tifa? Tifa!"_

_'My dreams, my honour…they're yours now…'_

_Agony struck him. Cloud opened his mouth to breath and coughed out blood, slumping forward, he leaned onto the blade piercing his chest. The glistening, mocking silver of Masamune soon became stained with the salted liquid as Cloud cringed, endorphins kicking in and silencing the pain, his mako kicking in to begin healing the wound but unable to due to the blade still being firmly in place. Turning his wavering sapphire eyes towards the one man he hated with every fibre of his being, Cloud struggled to grimace, biting down into his lower lip as the ex general stared down at him._

_His mouth in an impassive line, this soon formed into the grotesque, hideous smirk Cloud feared most of all. Cloud tried to open his mouth to speak, but as his lips parted, only more blood came from him, along with the sound of gasping as he desperately tried to fill his lungs with air. Jenova's son, the monster who had stolen his everything, who had tried to destroy the one world he had ever known. Silver strands mixing with the crimson element around them, that cruel sneer never left Sephiroth's lips as he leaned closer to the impaired individual, green feline optics narrowing into dangerous slits. Cloud tried to pull away from him, turn any way other than directly at the creature before him, but Sephiroth simply twisted his blade within Cloud's body and sent him hurling back into agony, his flesh tearing within the confines of metal and bone._

_'Tell me what you cherish most. Give me the pleasure of taking it away…'_

* * *

That morning began with Cloud's cell phone buzzing on the concrete floor, making what seemed to be an earthquake style of noise to the sleeping cadets, who automatically began groaning as they realised the six am alarm was due soon. Blonde hair in even more of a mess than his usual style due to tossing around in his sleep fighting off imaginary tonberries, Cloud let out a softened yawn and reached for his phone. He pulled it up to his face, eyes still burred from the lack of light in the room due to the electronic lights still being switched off, but when he finally managed to register the name of the caller, the colour drained from his face. Flicking it open, he leapt to his feet and made his way out of the room, slouching back on the hallway wall before sliding slowly towards the ground.

"…Commander?"

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky."

"Loveless. Act one." Cloud was beginning to understand why Zack avoided speaking with the crimson commander, however for some reason he found himself listing off the stanza as though it were a question. But he thought it just to ask, "uh, Commander, how did you get my number?"

"…You read Loveless?" Genesis' voice instantly changed from impassive to that of pure and utter delight, Cloud felt as though he could feel the man's glistening eyes staring at him through the cell phone with adoration as he completely ignored Cloud's question.

"I saw the play once." Cloud murmured.

"…I see." Cloud waited for the next response, but found none. He blinked, rubbing his eyes with his spare hand as he felt a yawn escape him.

"Have I been the cause of your departure from slumber, Strife? I must apologise, I believed the cadets awoke for training at six."

"Yes, though the alarms hadn't gone off yet." Cloud leaned back against the wall. He wasn't too threatened by Genesis, the man was just another of many perverts he had encountered during his lifetime in the other world.

"I see. To answer your question, I was under the impression cadets were allocated cell phones at the beginning of the year for quick contact, should anything of urgency come up." Genesis' replied smoothly, causing Cloud to wrack his memories. He had never been given a phone, had he? He half expected he had never been rang on it so had never even realised it was there under the bed. Either that or Kain had stolen it.

"But…" Cloud stopped. Why me? He sighed. "What emergency has come up, commander?"

"Strife, are you well acquainted with Zackary?"

"Not particularly, sir." Cloud had no idea where this was going. He had been acting just as he had as a cadet, except for refusing to be jailbait for Kain and his gang, and having one spar with Zack.

"Please, call me Genesis."

"Genesis." he confirmed, hearing the man's soft chuckle down the other line.

"I see. I heard you sparred with him yesterday in one of the third class training rooms and did well."

"Thank you sir, I mean, Genesis."

"Would you be interested in sparring with me, cadet?"

Cloud blinked. In his first world, he never met the crimson commander until he had already gone A-wall and started turning third and second class SOLDIERS into Genesis clones, when he and Zack had confronted him with Hollander before Zack had taken on Genesis himself. The commander had never shown interest in him before this. He had no idea how to respond.

"I, uh."

"Please, Cloud. Don't feel you need to be modest with me. I know this is a one in a lifetime offer from one as great as myself. Just be in training room forty nine at approximately three o'clock this afternoon. You finish training at four, so one hour shouldn't affect your performance too harshly." Genesis, ever the coy, arrogant redhead, hung up after that. Cloud raised his eyebrows. What had he gotten himself into?

Noticing Kain leaving the dorm room, Cloud slid his phone shut and hid it behind his back discreetly. However Kain seemed uninterested in him in the slightest. He yawned, grunting slightly as he stretched his arms. Cloud noticed his bandaged hands and tried not to stare for too long, but evidently the cadet noticed.

"Fuck off Strife."

Cloud pursed his lips, refraining from replying as Kain passed by him, heading to the showers. Followed by the rest of the ten roommates of E dorm room two, Cloud took a moment to analyse each of them. He had never really paid attention to the other cadets other than Kain during his last life. He examined them, finding a couple of them were of Wutaian descent. Strange. Surely they were at war with ShinRa by now? Cloud half expected them to be TURKS hidden amongst the barracks, spying on them. He sighed and headed to the showers.

Consisting of around forty shower heads, the entire E and F dorms shared the showering room. The showers were not separated and so the naked cadets stood together, sizing each other up, throwing soap bars across the tiles, slapping each other on the backsides. Cloud suddenly realised why he'd nearly never washed his hair for the entire three months he was there. He stripped of his clothing and stood awkwardly, towel around his waist. His body was frail, fragile, small. How had he managed to cope with all the mako injected into him during his four years under Hojo's capture he had no idea. Cloud watched as Kain's group of three made sure no one got too close to the brute leader as he washed. However Rob had other ideas for the blonde.

"Hey, Spike's here! Come on Strife, we're waiting!" grabbing Cloud's towel, Rob made off with it. Cloud then stood naked in front of two entire dormitories full of cadets. He was not embarrassed, more irritated, by how this situation was playing. He exhaled lowly and entered into the tiled room, looking for a free area to use. He eventually found an unattended shower head and approached, turning it on and letting the warm water lathe down his back. He ran his hands through his hair, then noticed the bar of soap by his feet.

Cloud visibly frowned at the immaturity.

"You dropped the soap, Strife." Rob jeered, a couple of other cadets chuckling as the rest of the cadets began filing out of the showers. They did not want to see this.

"Really now." Cloud muttered, rubbing shampoo into his hair before washing it out quickly. He really didn't want to spend any longer than he needed in here. Rob and the two others of Kain's band of hooligans began to get frustrated by his lack of compliance.

"Did you not hear me, Strife?" Rob walked towards him, and although Cloud did not turn to watch, he could hear the heavy footsteps on the wet tiles approaching him. "Pick up the soap."

"Are you really acting like this is prison?" Cloud was cool and calm, despite the heat of the showers. Totally unaffected by Rob's threats, he turned to find Rob shove him back against the wall.

"Bend over." he hissed lowly. By this time the entire dormitories had legged it from the showers. No one wanted to willingly watch Cloud getting his ass penetrated.

"No."

"You're pushing my limits, Strife."

Cloud merely ignored him. He turned off the shower head and looked away. Rob grabbed his face and shoved his head back to face him again, eyes burning with lust.

"Bend your tight ass over, right now."

Cloud contemplated the situation. He could easily knee the cadet in his testicles if he kept this up. However he was alone and could easily be thrown out of the facility should Rob's friends choose to lie for him. However he was not going to get his ass pounded by some idiot in the dank shower rooms of ShinRa. Rob's fingers slid over to his throat, holding him as he moved his other hand towards Cloud's rear.

"How about you go fuck yourself." he bitterly replied.

However, instead of being penetrated, he found his throat was released. Rob lay face first on the tile floor, blood spurting from his nose as Kain stood over him, rubbing his fists together. Rob spluttered water out as Kain held a foot on his back, holding him down.

"He said no, dickhead." Kain grumbled as Cloud took a moment to take the situation in. Kain was helping him? What? Had his fists been wired to his brain, so when he punched the metal walls, he ended up gaining a new personality?

However it soon became clear Kain was not smiling fondly at Cloud whatsoever. He glared at the soaked blonde and muttered.

"Get lost, Strife."

Cloud simply nodded and walked past them, finding his towel hanging from one of the showerheads, soaked to the brim. He walked out of the showers to find around twenty cadets gathered in the hallway around the lockers, staring at him. He blinked as they turned and walked off. Had they been waiting to listen to his torture? He inhaled the steam of the room and made his way back to the room to dress. This was not going to be a good day, he could tell.

And Cloud was right. First a call from the crimson commander demanding he spar with him, then nearly being fondled in the showering rooms, now he stood in materia class holding a level one fire orb while the teacher tried to put out the flames on the dummies. He had simply been curious to as whether he could still use materia to it's fullest or if he had lost that power during the shift from his world to this new one. The results? Nearly setting fire to Corporeal Riley and half the class. The flow of power had moved through him with such grace and expertise that Cloud had no realised the fire coming from his hands until the class started screaming in horror.

Riley had the cadets running left from right with fire extinguishers. Most of the cadets had been able to produce a flicker of a flame in their hands, or managed to burn their fingers slightly. Strife had only gone and destroyed half the training room. What the hell kind of power did the kid possess? He turned to notice Cloud examining the materia in his hands.

"Oh no you don't! Step away from the materia Strife!"

Cloud held back a bemused laugh as Riley dashed over to him, apprehending the green orb in his hands. Riley quickly gathered all the materia orbs back into the chest they were kept locked in and pushed the box under the weapons rack, sighing loudly.

"Right ladies! Because Strife here has set fire to the room, we're going to have to cancel today's lesson!" Cloud half expected to hear outraged cries and moans of protest, but instead there was silence, "so you're all going to go outside for cross country!"

"S-Sir, we're in t-the middle of Midgar. H-how are we meant to do c-c-cross c-country if we're not in the country?" one of the Wutaian cadets, Hiko Hasuke, questioned in a stutter, terrified of the SOLDIER, the third class turning to glower at him.

"I bloody well know where we are, Hasuke! If I need a map I'll be sure to contact you! No, you're going to cross country through sector one to sector eight. You have approximately two hours to do so. If I catch any of you using the train I swear I'll send you to Commander Hewley for immediate dismissal!"

Cloud followed the rest of the cadets out of the room and through the ShinRa building until they came to the entrance. He found Kain sat on the top of the steps, while Hiko seemed quite lost. Kain noticed him and waved him over. Cloud approached, expecting another fight.

"So, anyone know where the nearest bar is?" Kain questioned them as Cloud stopped around a few feet from them. Hiko seemed terrified now.

"N-no K-Kain…"

"Anywhere I can get booze? Anywhere?"

"N-no...S-sorry..."

Cloud raised an eyebrow as Kain sniggered lowly.

"Well, you're certainly not cut out to be a map, that's for sure, kid." Kain turned his hard brown eyes towards the blonde, who was quite confused with the situation, "what about you, Strife?"

Cloud was impassive, not replying. He was still awaiting the inevitable fight. He wondered how many steps he could hurtle Kain down before the guards came to break up the quarrel.

"Fine, suit yourselves." Kain muttered as he got up, stretching his thick, dark muscular arms into the air. "I'm going to get pissed then wave a car down for a ride to the eighth. See ya." he made his way down the steps after the rest of the class, who stood there waiting for Riley to approach them.

Riley just stood laughing at the doorway at their naivety.

Cloud noticed Hiko was still stood looking like a lost kitten. He slouched his shoulders back. Today was going to be a long day.

"Want to follow me?" he suggested, the Wutaian nearly falling down the flight of stairs in fright. He nodded feebly as Riley shouted to them.

"You're already five minutes in girls! Don't spend too long trimming your nails!"

Cloud made his way down the stairs and passed the rest of the class who began to run off into varying directions. No one wanted to be yelled at by Commander Hewley, one of the three strongest first class SOLDIERS ShinRa commanded. Hiko followed him a few steps behind, stopping every few moments to look around to examine where they were in case he got separated from the blonde before catching up in quick sprints. Cloud decided the cadet was very rabbit like. ShinRa seemed to bring out the animal in people.

They made their way through sector one with ease. Passing the train station, Cloud noticed quite a few cadets had taken the risk of jumping onto the train, clearly not believing Riley's claim. Cloud knew otherwise; taking the train to get to sector eight was not going to take them through every sector. It would just take them straight to the eighth, where Riley most likely was awaiting. He decided it was their own loss if they got caught for trying to outsmart the corporeal. Hiko wondered for a moment too if they should get on but upon seeing Cloud keep walking past the stop, he followed without question. They walked in silence until they made it deep into sector two, Hiko running up to Cloud's side.

"H-hey, why did y-you h-help me?" the Wutaian questioned quietly as they passed through the slums of Midgar.

"Why not?" Cloud replied with little interest. He noticed the state of the city had not improved in this new world he had been transported to and sighed to himself. Hiko clasped his hands together and frowned.

"But we're at w-war. Everyone h-hates m-me."

Cloud noticed a few children playing with a stray dog, snarling bitterly as it fought over a scrap of meat with the humans themselves. He shook his head.

"No, they don't like you because of your stutter." why should he sugar coat it? The kid wasn't going to feel any better if he lied about why the other cadets were bullying him, "If you put some backbone into your words, no one would care whether you were Wutaian or not." Ok. He could have said that a little nicer. But this kid wasn't anything to him. He would likely fail the SOLDIER exams and join the regular army. He didn't need to be nice.

"Oh." Hiko took this in, nodding repeatedly as they walked, "so if I talk like this instead, people will like me?"

"Maybe." Cloud raised an eyebrow at his own lack of care, sighing, "probably."

"Ok then." Hiko smiled widely at the blonde. Cloud checked the time on a nearby clock attached to one of the dingy walls. Half one. He had to be back before three or Genesis would hunt him down and splay his skin.

"I want to be like General Sephiroth."

Cloud stopped abruptly. His eyes moved towards the ground, sapphire irises darkening considerably as Hiko came out with the statement.

"I know it sounds stupid, but I really, really want to be like him. He's amazing." the Wutaian held his hands to his chest, acting as though he was Aeris with a beloved flower. Cloud grit his molars together, lips parting in a scowl.

"It_ is_ stupid." he took off in a brisk walk, the other cadet standing confused for a moment before running after him to keep up. Cloud felt anger boiling in his veins. Why were these people so stupid? How could they not see that monster for what he really was? He was a murderer, even now, tearing entire armies apart in a foreign country to fuel President ShinRa's own endless greed, and yet these people praised him at any given chance. Cloud's narrowed eyes turned with his feet as he made it into sector three, ignoring the civilians as he passed through crowds, not really caring if Hiko kept up or not.

"Hey Cloud, do you look up to anyone?"

Cloud stopped. He turned to find Hiko panting behind him, hands on his knees, bent over slightly as he caught his breath, the sea of people around them parting as they stood there.

"What?"

"Is there anyone you look up to?" Hiko repeated as he straightened himself out, pulling his long black ponytail away from his face as the wind blew it towards his eyes.

Cloud thought for a moment. Did he look up to anyone? When he had been a cadet, he had been one of many to obsess over the general. Everything about him seemed seductive, desirable. You either loved him or you wanted to be him. But there was only ever one man he had ever wanted to be like, the very same one who had saved his life all those years ago. The name slipped out of his lips as though it was second nature.

"Zack."


	9. Chapter 9

_AN ;; I'm going to be cheeky and ask for three new reviews before the next chapter will be posted, my lovelies. For you are beloved by the goddess!_

**CHAPTER NINE**

"He set fire to the entire training room. He'd never even been able to produce a flicker of flame before now, Zack."

Zack listened as Riley sat on the couch of his apartment. He had finished his duties already and was taking the day off. Angeal was attending a meeting with Director Lazard, head of ShinRa's SOLDIER programme, so other than the two the apartment was empty. Angeal had left his family heirloom, the buster sword, on it's display in the living area. Zack could tell Riley was tempted to examine the six foot, two hundred pound weapon. However they concentrated on the matter at hand. Cadet Cloud Strife.

"I was sure he would be thrown out of the programme." Riley shook his head, still in disbelief, "but first he beats down one of the best fighters in weapons class, and now he uses materia as though he were Commander Rhapsodos himself! I just don't understand."

"Neither do I." Zack admitted, placing his thumb against his lower lip. "Has he been receiving any extra training?"

"Unless you or the commanders have been training him without my knowledge, then E dorm is only receiving the basic training to prepare them for the upcoming exams." Riley replied, still keeping an eye on the buster sword. Zack gazed at the weapon briefly before retracting back to their conversation.

"No. Both Genesis and Angeal have not been in contact with him before yesterday."

"It's like… he just woke up overnight as a completely different person." Zack understood what the corporeal meant. Cloud's character seemed very different from the boy he had met only a few weeks ago in the cafeteria, stumbling over his own feet and shying from human contact.

"Maybe his balls dropped?"

Zack spluttered with laughter as Riley made the statement of the century. He leaned back onto the couch, his legs crossed as Riley grinned.

"It was a serious suggestion." he playfully waved an arm as the second class Zackary Fair grinned.

"Sure."

"It was. You're just immature."

"Am not." Zack protested jokingly as he watched Riley's eyes slowly make their way back towards Angeal's blade. He chuckled, putting on his best Angeal impression, "you really like that sword, Corporeal."

Riley acted as though he'd been caught stealing gysahl greens from innocent chocobos. He waved his hands in the air frantically to prove his innocence, expecting the legendary first class commander to enter the room and wedge said sword into his guts. Instead he found the twenty year old raven head laughing his trousers off.

"You made me shit myself." Riley moaned bitterly, slouching back into the furniture as he tried to steady his heart beat, "you know Angeal would kill me if he found me here."

"You did mix the salt and the sugar in his porridge." Zack pointed out.

"That was four years ago! I was only a cadet! Why does he still hate me?"

"He doesn't hate you. He just doesn't trust you anywhere near his kitchen again."

"Come on, you've got to admit it was funny."

"It was quite brilliant, yes." Zack could openly admit that while his mentor was not present, otherwise he'd have to hide in his room for a few hours due to Angeal most likely wanting to send him off on a punishment, "remind me, how many hours did you get on toilet cleaning duties?"

"Sixty. Took me two months." Riley bitterly remembered, though the playful smirk never left his lips.

"So about Cloud…" Zack murmured, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to ignore the small twitch coming from his sexual organ when he remembered how he had used the cadet as pornographic material for his needs, "what could be a possible cause for his sudden sprout in skills?"

"Unless he's had a shit ton of mako injections and regular sword training, then I honestly have no clue." the third class corporeal admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hmm." Zack thought for a moment. No other suggestion made any sense. It was definitely the same chocobo haired cadet, but his eyes did shine much bluer than they had ever before, "his eyes are blue."

"…His eyes have always been blue."

"No. I mean they've got mako in them. The science department must have got a hold of him." Zack narrowed his eyes as he began to plot how he would break Hojo in two. However Riley was not convinced.

"Dude. This change happened overnight. Even if the wackjobs got him, it would take at least four weeks for his eyes to start radiating blue, whether they dunked him head first into a tub of mako or not."

Zack sighed.

"Then I have no idea how he got so good. Unless he's been hiding it from everyone."

"But why would he do that? You said he was quite capable of defending himself from you. With skills like that alone he could get into SOLDIER without even needing to take the cadet exams."

"I don't know, Riley." Zack sunk into the sofa pillows, noticing his phone was vibrating in his pocket. He pulled out the cell from his trousers and stared at the caller ID, groaning.

"You gonna answer that?" Riley questioned, amused by Zack's sudden performance.

"It's the commander." Zack muttered as he contemplated whether to answer it or not.

"Which one?"

"The annoying one."

"Oh, Rhapsodos."

Zack waited until his phone stopped vibrating before he put it on the couch arm next to him. However the phone soon began ringing again. Riley raised an eyebrow.

"Must be important."

"You'd think." Zack scoffed, finally opening his phone and pressing it next to his ear, "what do you want Genesis?"

"Ripples form on the water's surface, the wandering soul knows no rest."

"…And you wonder why no one wants to talk to you." Zack muttered as Riley made his exit, waving to him with a playful smirk on his lips. Taking one last glance at Angeal's sword, the corporeal left the apartment and quietly shut the door behind him. Zack pushed himself up off the couch and patrolled the floor around the sofas, glancing out the window behind the television, "seriously Gen. What are you calling for?"

"Do I need a reason to talk to my beloved friend?"

"There's always a reason for your actions." Zack muttered.

"My friend, the fates are cruel. I am merely calling to request your presence at three o'clock this afternoon."

Zack glanced at the clock opposite Angeal's sword. It was already one.

"What for?"

"Maybe I have a large pack of cookies to share."

Zack rolled his eyes at Genesis' attempt to be funny.

"You're an idiot."

"And you, Zackary, are foolish."

"Foolish?" Zack didn't take kindly to being insulted by the red haired nuisance of ShinRa's SOLDIER programme.

"Why else would you leave your dear cadet all alone in a room with me?" Genesis pressed with a low chuckle. Zack felt his heart begin to take flight.

"…What are you talking about?" If he had hurt Cloud in any way…

"I have arranged to spar with Cloud Strife at three o'clock in training room forty nine. Be sure to attend, would you?" Zack did not relax with this new information, however. It simply meant Genesis was slowly waiting, building up his appetite before he decided to strike.

"I told you to leave him alone Genesis." the raven head put on his stern voice, at the end of his tether with the elder by three years.

"Mm, yes, but he is ever so delightful." he could picture Genesis playing with his sword in his hands, hearing the sound of the materia magic coursing through the commander's blade, "I couldn't just sit back and let you have all the fun."

Zack wanted to crush the phone in his hands. He was never the angry type of person, but the way Genesis was pushing his buttons was making him furious. He hung up, but not before he replied with a cold, "I'll be there."

* * *

Cloud stood outside the sector five church, contemplating whether he should enter. Hiko was sat close by on the ground eating an ice cream he'd bought with a week's allowance, uninterested in the old architecture of the building. However Cloud was not there for the religious structure. One door already open as the sun radiated down on them, he slid into the shade of the building. The flowers stood in a circle of light in the middle of the church, a mixture of weeping white and butter yellow petals among the soft strands of jade grass. Cloud walked across the wooden floorboards towards the flowers, noticing a few baskets filled with recently picked beauties, most likely by Aeris. He slowed when he heard the sound of the door creak open behind him, knowing full well of who would be stood there.

"Yo, kid. You can't come in here." unkempt red hair jousting from all angles upon the TURKS' head, he ran a finger over his goggles as that characteristic grin swept across his lips.

Cloud turned to face Reno, who stood alone at the doorway. Hiko was nowhere to be seen so Cloud assumed he was still sat outside, most likely unknowingly being watched by more TURKS. The blonde noticed Reno examining his uniform and sighed, putting on the act of the lost cadet.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I wont do it again." the words felt bitter in his mouth. But he'd rather not have to fight off ShinRa's assassins this early into his new life.

Reno patted the baton he held in his left hand against the other, grinning in his signature style. His unbuttoned black jacket moving slightly in the breeze making it's way in through the doorway into the main hall, he made no attempt to move from where he stood, leaning back against the open door with narrowed eyes.

"That's right kid. You wont." he simply waited as Cloud started to walk towards him, then hit his baton into the doorway, causing a few pigeons in the banisters above to take flight and escape through the hole in the roof, "what's a cadet doing out of the facility at this hour, yo?"

Cloud was already used to dealing with Reno in his old life. Despite being their second in command, he was the one TURK Cloud could always count on being easily satisfied.

"We were told to cross country from sector one to eight, through all the eight sectors." he replied easily, noticing Hiko outside still sitting eating, not seeming to realise the confrontation going on just a few feet from him.

"Huh. What idiot have they got teaching you, sending you off into fucking Midgar with no weapons." Reno's friendliness was already shining through. Cloud was grateful that in this world all of the people he had come across still had the same personalities as in his own paradox universe.

"Corporeal Riley, sir."

"Don't call me sir, it makes me sound old." Reno grunted. Cloud knew the TURK was only a few years older than him, he guessed around seventeen, "Riley, huh? That moron shouldn't be teaching you lot how to piss. He's useless." Reno tilted his head slightly, tongue running over his lower lip as he took Cloud's appearance in, "want me to show you a quick way through the sectors?" that casual grin stayed firmly attached to his lips.

Cloud blinked. The TURK was offering to help him? Wasn't he supposed to be here guarding Aeris? But she did seem nowhere in sight, probably selling flowers in one of the slums from the looks of it. The blonde cadet nodded.

"Sure."

Reno turned, leading the way. Cloud followed as he noticed Hiko had vanished. He stopped and looked around, finding nothing but a melting ice cream cone on the floor where Hiko had one been sitting.

"Where did-"

"Yo! You coming?" Reno was already quite the distance away, tapping his baton against a suited shoulder, ponytail rippling scarlet in the soft, sand ridden wind of Midgar's Autumn. Cloud debated whether he should look for the Wutaian cadet but figured this was an opportunity he should not miss. The TURKS knew all the secrets of Midgar, but to willingly share one? This was far too useful to ignore.

"Sheesh, slow your chocobos." Cloud muttered as he caught up to the cynical red head, who simply knuckled his head.

"Are cadets always this cheeky these days?" Reno slyly jested, running his hands through Cloud's hair, "whoa. It's so soft."

"What did you expect it to feel like?" Cloud muttered. This joke was far overrated by now.

"Dunno dude. Looks like you have to use a shit ton of glue or something to get it that spiky." the coy teenager rebuked, sticking his tongue out for a moment before laughing, "my name is Reno by the way. It's nice to meet you...?" he awaited Cloud to reply with his name. Cloud figured there was no problem in telling the red head his real name.

"Cadet Cloud Strife, of E dorm."

Reno sniggered at the response. TURKS other than Tseng had no titles, they were simply not required.

With an eyebrow raised at near all times, Cloud followed Reno through the sector five slums. Reno was uninterested in the poverty around them, but Cloud couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He could always find Barret's predecessor, Elfé, and join AVALANCHE, take ShinRa down, bring peace to the world. But he didn't feel like that was the right path to take.

"Aren't you bothered?" Cloud started as they passed a crippled woman holding two children in her arms, staring up at them and begging for a spare gil coin.

"Bothered?" Reno repeated as he continued walking forward, not turning back to glance at the cadet.

Cloud kept up easily as Reno began to dodge sick civilians lying around on the concrete.

"About the condition this city is in. These slums… you can't think it's right."

Reno stopped, holding out his baton to stop Cloud also, the metal pole hitting Cloud's chest slightly.

"And who are you to preach what is right or wrong?" the TURK demanded, suddenly turning on the blonde who backed away slightly. Something had triggered Reno's defences and Cloud wasn't so sure he wanted to get caught in a fight in the middle of sector five with one pissed off TURK.

"I just… it can't be easy."

"Easy?"

"For the people, the kids…" Cloud realised he did indeed sound like some messiah. With his own history of killing and failure, he could have scoffed.

"I grew up here. Do I look half bad?" Reno replied with a slight taste of bitterness in his words. Cloud stood in shock.

The TURKS could never leave ShinRa once they were recruited. Their careers began and ended in their death, and nothing but that. There was no retirement for them, no holidays, no families. They were mechanical assassins, programmed to forget their pasts as human beings and put all energy into bringing ShinRa's enemies to their knees. But Reno had just told Cloud of his past, his life before ShinRa. He grew up in Midgar's slums. Did that mean he was picked up by the TURKS, or something darker happened to him to cause him to fall into the path of Tseng and the other wicked hyenas? Cloud pondered as they walked forward, stopping when they came to a large manhole. Reno grinned and turned his chin down toward it, sliding his foot under the metal circle, he pushed it back with ease. Then he leaned forward slightly, doing a mock bow.

"Ladies first."

Cloud examined the sewer entrance from where he stood, expecting Reno to throw him in if he got too close. The stench of human faeces came flooding out of the hole and ensnared around Cloud's nostrils, causing him to back away considerably.

"I am _not_ going in there."

"Aw come on. It's only a little sewage, yo." Reno replied as he grinned at Cloud's clear lack of desire to plunge into the murk below. Civilians nearby were also disgusted and quickly began to shuffle away, knowing full well the TURK was not the type of man to be argued with.

"Is this seriously the way to all the sectors, or are you taking the piss?" Cloud really did not want to go in there. If he showed up to training with Genesis stinking of piss the commander would probably set him on fire.

"Yo, you think I would lie to you?" Reno tilted his head back slightly, "I thought we were friends."

Cloud resolved to his fate.

"Ugh. If you lock me down there I swear."

"What'll you do, cadet Cloud Strife of E dorm?" Reno's lips were curled back slightly over his teeth, ivory canines glistening beneath the sunlight, "report me to big bad Corporeal Riley?"

Cloud stared at Reno. He burst into an uncontrollable, loud laughter. Reno snickered loudly as Cloud turned and began to take steps down the metal ladder into the sewage system. As he landed on the small path to the side of the tunnels, avoiding the river of murk around him, Reno began to follow him from behind, sliding the manhole shut with his baton; much to the appreciation of the civilians above. When he landed and began to lead the way, Cloud made sure to walk behind Reno, knowing full well the TURK would probably trip him into the sewage if he wasn't careful. Reno was both a good ally to have and a bastard of a friend. Cloud smiled to himself as Reno scowled at a couple of rats. They made their way through the old networks until they came out into an open circular room with seven other tunnel openings. Above each tunnel a number was wrote on in chalk. Cloud looked back at the tunnel behind them as they moved forward and noticed the scrawny '5' above it. Reno made his way towards the tunnel with '8' above it and stopped for him.

"Go on that way until you reach the sixth manhole. That'll take you basically right next to the edge of the eighth sector. Then just make your way back to the facility." Reno explained.

Cloud nodded as the TURK continued to stare at him with his glistening blue eyes, as though he were some sort of rare specimen.

"So why can't I go into the sector five church?" Cloud pressed, wondering how Reno would answer. There was no threat in asking the TURK now, it was clear Reno desired a friendship with him. Most likely to keep tabs on the goings on of the cadets.

"President has us looking out for some girl in there. She's got some special talents or something, yo, I don't ask. You're lucky it was me who found you rather than Tseng. He's got a thing for her." Reno grinned cockily.

Cloud smiled slightly. Who wouldn't? Aeris was amazing. But as he was talking to Reno, he noticed a few monsters in the sewage, beady black eyes watching them from the murk. Reno was watching them like a hawk, swinging the baton in his hand before landing it square on the hand of one of the monsters creeping closer to them. Cloud was unarmed and could do nothing to help. He shouted to Reno as he made his escape.

"Thanks, Reno!" he backed away into the tunnel as Reno glanced back at the cadet, winking to him.

"No problem, yo. See ya around, Cloud."

_AN ;; So we have Reno! he's also one of my favourites. He's such a punk, who wouldn't love him? He's always been friendly towards Cloud, in both the FF7 game and in Crisis Core. Showing Cloud how to get round the sectors isn't that much of an issue to him, it's an open secret for most of the slum inhabitants that the TURKS just take full advantage of._

_However, where has Hiko gone? Off for more ice cream, or something much more sinister? Only time will tell.~_


	10. Chapter 10

_AN;; Do you guys like that I upload lots of chapters daily, or am I going a bit fast with this? :P it's going to be quite long as I want to portray the relationships between all the characters, and the storyline, which will follow somewhat along the lines of Crisis Core, but I'm leaning towards keeping Genesis sane so he can harass some more characters with his Casanova ways.._

_Don't worry, the legendary sex god Sephiroth will be appearing soon in the next few chapters, guys. Just had to establish Cloud's relationships with the other important characters such as Zack, Genesis and Reno. Sephy is fighting away in Wutai to make big bucks for President ShinRa, so to make up for the lack of the silver haired stud, we've got Genesis tormenting everything with a pulse with endless flirting instead. So without further await, here's chapter 10 ~_

**CHAPTER TEN**

Banora stood as a lonely, quiet village in the depths of the Mideel continent, far from the mechanic megapolis of Midgar where the crimson commander actually sat, his legs hanging off the branch of the tree he sat on, holding a blue pixelated dumb apple in his hand. In his other, he held his sword, radiating the same crimson aura as his jacket shade. He sat on the largest tree, which grew on his parents' estate, perfectly crafted in the hologram ShinRa's programme designers had created through years of research and trial and error.

Genesis and Angeal often activated this scenery when they were homesick, back when they joined ShinRa's facility at only fourteen years of age. A sixteen year old Sephiroth had not been too keen on babysitting them but had taken it as a side career anyhow, much to Hojo's disapproval and to Hollander's delight. Genesis and Angeal had always considered each other brothers since they had first met in their hometown when they were just children, and considered Sephiroth as their elder, their mentor. However all three would willingly put their lives down for one another, despite being raised in much different areas. Genesis often tricked Angeal into thinking they were real dumb apples when they spent hours in the room together, discussing their recent training and any news the president broadcasted once a week. Angeal would bite down into one of the hologram fruits and find his mouth filled with nothing but blue gigabytes. Genesis found this hilarious every time, especially when Angeal would chase him down and tackle him to the floor, much to the dismay of Hollander, their carer whilst they were in the facility. Being two of the first to enter the newly established SOLDIER programme, they were monitored near constantly by the scientists as they adapted to life behind metal walls and prying eyes, their own eyes soon radiating blue with the mako in their veins.

Genesis had wondered what normal teenage years would have been like. He supposed that was why he acted like such a tormenting flirt even at twenty three years of age. That, and the reactions of the ever stoic General Sephiroth were priceless.

He lay back against the tree bark as he heard the door to the training room open, he readied a ball of fire in his hands, aimed it towards the entrance…

"Genesis!"

The crimson commander frowned, the flames in his hands vanquishing as one Zackary Fair entered the room, broad sword in hand, his face contorted in absolute fury.

"Where is he?"

Genesis simply mused for a moment at Zack's demand. That was a very good question. The blonde cadet was approximately two minutes late. Usually the cadets would come running to his every desire should he even barely glance at them. But Strife was different. He was stubborn, cold, just like the general. And that made it all the more interesting.

"He's not here, Zackary." Genesis replied when Zack started to make his way towards him, sapphire eyes hardened. Genesis drew ears and a tail on Zack with his finger in the air, imagining the scowling puppy as a rather disconcerted wolf.

"Why did you call me here then? Your games aren't funny anymore, Gen." Zack sighed, visibly relieved. Genesis wondered if the boy actually thought he was going to kill his cadet friend. If anything, Genesis aimed to torture, not kill. Fire was after all the most beautiful of the elements, especially when it burned through flesh…

_I am such a sadist_. Genesis thought to himself as the second class stood beneath the branch he sat on. Then Genesis felt himself falling.

He landed easily on one foot, twisting his body to face Zack who had just hacked down the tree with his sword. The tree fell with a loud thud and caused dust to build up in the air, a few apples flying past the commander's head.

"That wasn't very nice." Genesis mused as the raven haired man kept his eyes narrowed.

"Where is Cloud?"

"So demanding." the first class raised a hand to his face, examining the fire materia he had embedded within his very skin, a flicker of flames beginning to make it's way through his fingers. He really should quit this pyrolatry, but it just burned so beautifully… Nothing could compare to the fire. He turned his hand from side to side, playing with the ball of flames which soon began to slither out of his hands and onto the floor by his boots, causing the grass to wither black and die. "You should be more respectful…" suddenly slashing his hand through the air, he hurled the ball of fire towards Zack, "to your elders!"

Zack easily cut the fireball in half, but was thrown back when it exploded in his face. He slammed against a tree, grunting as he sat up, an apple landing on his head.

"Playing with fire will get you burned, Genesis." Zack muttered as he pulled himself back to his feet, using the sword as support temporarily, then brushed his shoulders down with his free hand.

Genesis wagged his finger from side to side.

"Using quotes wont make you any smarter, Zackary."

He knew this would get a reaction and leapt into the air as Zack dashed towards him, slashing his sword to the side and nearly catching Genesis' boot. Genesis flipped backward in the air and landed on another branch, standing, he crouched slightly as he grinned.

"Missed me."

* * *

Emerging from the slums, Cloud tried to ignore the last of the civilians who coiled back in disgust at the smell on him. He sighed. Why did he have to listen to Reno of all people? He had kept an eye out for Hiko, the Wutaian cadet, but found he was nowhere to be found in sector eight. Cloud sniffed his arm and grunted audibly. Great. He really did stink of human waste. His blonde hair sleeked back due to the gunk he had bumped into on his way through the tunnel, fifteen year old Cloud Strife felt slightly pathetic.

Scratch that, _very_ pathetic.

He approached the stairs, finding he was the first to arrive back other than the cadets who had tried to use the train. Corporeal Riley was chewing them apart. He noticed Kain in the crowd who grinned and waved at him, clearly drunk. Riley looked like he was about to blow a fuse, furious with the seven he had caught. One of them, of course, was Rob. The elder cadet grinned as Cloud walked past, seeming to forget he had just been battered that morning for trying it on with him in the showers.

"Look who's here. Guess he tried to use the train as well! Oi, Riley! Strife's cheated too!" Rob protested as he sat amongst the rest of the cadets. A drunken Kain backhanded him across the side of his head.

"Sharrup would ya? He's cool." Kain managed to slur through his state, taking a sip of alcohol from a small bottle he had hidden in his shirt. However this was soon apprehended by Corporeal Riley.

"It's Corporeal Riley to you, brat. And you, stop fucking drinking! How many bottles have I taken from you now?!"

"Six sir." Kain bubbled, eyes widening and closing as he fell forward onto his face. Riley threw the bottle away, the sound of glass shattering causing Kain to twitch back, then fall down again and start hiccupping.

"You sure are a miserable lot…" Riley muttered as he turned to Cloud, noticing the state of him, then catching a wiff of the smell, "good Gaia, Strife! Where the hell have you been?!"

"Sir, I took a shortcut through the sewage network, sir." Cloud replied, the other cadets finally getting a waft of the smell. Rob and the others began to feel sick, threatening to throw up, while Kain simply laughed.

"That's my boy!"

"Shut up cadet." Riley groaned as he reached to grab Cloud by the collar, then decided not to, "ugh. Cadet, take yourself to the showers and wash that shit off. Good god, it's actually shit. Actual shit. Never in my career as a corporeal…" he shook his head, waving Cloud towards the door.

"Uh, sir, what time is it?" Cloud questioned, Riley briskly walking past him in an attempt to run from the smell.

"I spend one hour with Zack and everything descends to madness. Why in Gaia's name should you care what time it is?" Riley muttered, then checked his watch, "five past three. Got an issue with that?"

"Sir, no sir!" Cloud frantically began to make his way up the staircase, the guards twitching slightly as the smell began to make it's way towards them. Cloud dashed past, towards the training rooms, causing walkers nearby to protest or scream as the smell and sight of the cadet made their stomachs hurl. By the time he made it through one corridor alone there were six people violently throwing up onto the floor. Cloud slowed to a jog as he made his way past a group of second classes, not wanting to get pulled over for disorderly behaviour but also not wanting to cause a mass sickness within the facility. He tussled his hair to the side out of his eyes, ignoring the muck as he got into one of the lifts up to the training floors located below the facility. He kicked back against the metal, staring at his reflection. Gaia he looked bad.

After the ping queued the end of the ride, Cloud strolled out of the metal box with speed on his side, avoiding another couple of SOLDIERS as they squabbled with a TURK. He looked at the map to figure out which way room 49 was, considering it was a training room strictly reserved for first classes rather than the latter. He found that he could not locate it.

"Excuse me. Are you lost?"

The blonde cadet turned to look at the girl standing behind him. She had a pair of fingers clenched over her nostrils to block out the smell, but smiled none the less. Cloud knew she was a TURK immediately from her navy blue uniform. He straightened his back.

"Miss, just looking for training room forty nine, miss."

Cissnei giggled.

"Miss is it? You're quite the character." she passed by Cloud and examined the map herself, "oh, it's a first class room? They're not listed on the map so the cadets can't spy on them. You're not going to spy on them, are you?" she raised an eyebrow, still holding her nose.

"No, miss. I have a sparring session scheduled with Commander Rhapsodos."

"...Genesis is sparring with a cadet?" Cissnei's disbelief was evident. When Cloud stared back at her with nothing more than a blank expression, wondering if she was going burst into laughter, the TURK rolled her eyes.

"I've _got_ to see this." she turned and started walking down the hallway, expecting the cadet to follow. He did so but kept around four feet behind the girl of whom was of similar height to himself. She noticed his anticipation and giggled.

"You know, we TURKS aren't that bad when we're off duty. You can relax."

Cloud wasn't buying it. He had never seen this TURK before, not when he was with AVALANCHE, nor the time up until Kadaj's gang sent the world back into temporary turmoil. He had no idea who she was and that intimidated him. Had she even existed in his previous world? Was she a fragment of his imagination? His dreams had been taking such horrific turns, he knew not what was reality or not, not anymore. With her friendliness, the TURK simply became more dangerous. He would much rather face a pissed off Kadaj than a calm, manipulating TURK of who's name he knew not.

"Did Reno take you through the sewers or something? You smell like death."

When this statement came out of the blue, Cloud was silent. He didn't know whether he should respond. Would it be wise to mention he had encountered TURKS before her? He decided, eventually, to nod miserably. Cissnei pursed her lips, stopping in front of him. She leaned forward to pat his shoulder with her free hand, then backed away slightly.

"Not the best idea." Cloud murmured, eliciting a soft giggle from the red head.

The TURK simply smiled sweetly as Cloud exhaled sharply.

"I'm going to kill Reno."

* * *

Zack grunted as he wiped blood from his lip, staggering to the side slightly as he readied himself for the next attack. Genesis was standing with an apple in his hand, sword in the other, that annoying smirk still plastered across his face. The scene they had stood in was now successfully ablaze thanks to the commander's freak obsession with fire, green leaves burning to ash in the now darkened grey sky. Boiling apples fell to the ground as they split apart, the heat overbearing them as the two SOLDIERS stood facing each other off in the training room.

"You've improved, Zackary." Genesis noted as he held one of the burning apples in the palm of his hand, turning it over as he examined the red skin quickly fading to a sickly brown, then black and crumbling apart, "however, you will _never_ be strong enough to defeat me."

Zack readied his blade for the next attack, his arms slightly burned from nearly colliding with Genesis' flames. While Zack seemed dishevelled and in a mess, Genesis stood perfectly relaxed, in his element, his hometown burning around them. The commander's sapphire eyes flickered with the flames, the pupils of his eyes casting a stunning red reflection of Zack as he prepared to fight within the fire. The heat causing Zack to sweat profusely, the second class slid slightly on the ash beneath his feet, his skin painted with dark grey from the burning forest and buildings.

Genesis was unaffected at the sight of his hometown burning. In fact, he secretly revelled in it. He had always wanted to set it ablaze after hearing his father yelling at Angeal's mother, scolding him for stealing apples from the neighbours. But Angeal never stole apples from them, no matter how large the tree or how easy it was to climb up it. Genesis wanted to set his father on fire right there and from then on had spent most of his childhood with Angeal and his mother rather than his own parents. They would try to bribe him back into the house with toys and treats, but money could never buy his love. Only Angeal held that.

And Genesis' love was as pure and hot as the flames he deemed his true family.

Zack held the broad sword in his hands, clenching down his fingers onto the leather hold. He let out a slow breath, exhaling. Concentrate. Angeal had scolded him for this for months until he finally began to take his advice to heart, back when they had only just become mentor and apprentice. He closed his eyes, loosening his grip on the blade. Relax. Take your time. Breathe. When he finally reopened his eyes, he found Genesis stood right in front of him. The commander grinned and slammed the apple down into Zack's head.

Zack fell onto his back, holding his head in agony. Genesis had only gone and set fire to one of the apples and used it as some sort of bomb. He moaned and clutched his black locks, the fires beginning to fade away as Genesis checked the time yet again.

"Three twenty. It seems our cadet friend will not be showing after all." ever impatient, Genesis was scowling internally. He did not like to be stood up. He could play a game of cat and mouse with ease, but when a person of lesser standing than him, in this case a lowly cadet, did not arrive when he commanded, it left him furious. He was far too important to be rejected in such a publicly humiliating fashion. Genesis glanced at the wailing Zack and exhaled sharply. Someone's plant was going to be burned for this outrage.

The door slid open.

Genesis raised an eyebrow, turning his burning stare towards the entrance where a particularly cute girl stood, waving.

"Zaaack!"

Said second in command sat up slightly, rubbing his head as he noticed the TURK smiling at him.

"Cissnei?" he pushed himself up and walked past the irritated commander, pulling off the headset on his head. Genesis had managed to break it slightly when he slammed the pixel apple into his head and sparks flew from the broken mechanism. Zack dropped it to the floor and approached as the girl stood awaiting him. He then noticed the blonde locks behind her. "…Cloud?"

Cloud was staring down at his feet. He mumbled.

"Huh?" Zack stepped closer as Cissnei moved to the side, then the stench hit him. He blinked, then took that step back, waving a hand in front of his nose. "Cloud, where have you been?"

"Sorry…" the blonde cadet glanced up at him before looking back down at the floor, quite ashamed in his appearance, "got dragged through the sewers…"

"Reno thought it would be fun to take Cloud here through the sewage network to save an hour of walking." Cissnei informed, Cloud staying silent.

Zack felt a small laugh trying to break it's way through his lungs, but the state Cloud was in both psychically and emotionally made him stay sincere.

"I see. Cloud, you know you didn't have to spar with Genesis, right?"

Upon hearing his name mentioned, the commander started skulking towards the door. Cissnei began blushing furiously as the twenty three year old stopped before them, examining the situation. After being given a cold glare from Zack, the commander found some compassion in his flaming spirit.

"You're late, Strife." he muttered, ignoring the stench as Cloud shuffled on the spot before them.

"Sir, sorry sir."

"Any particular reason why you're late?"

"Reno said it was quicker…-"

"You listened to a TURK over your superior officer?" Genesis was no longer content with being nice. Zack ran a hand through his hair as Cissnei began to shift back out the door, wanting away from the implosive commander as quickly as her feet could carry her. Genesis noticed her but paid no heed. However although he was sick of being nice, he was trying to stay calm in front of the blonde. He could take out his fury on Zack later.

"Sir, yes… sir." Cloud didn't quite know what else he was supposed to say. He hadn't expected to be twenty minutes late. But if he hadn't taken the sewer way with Reno he'd be even later. The way Genesis was glaring made it seem like he was picturing Cloud on fire, but if he had been any later than this, he wouldn't be picturing it, he would most definitely be in flames.

Genesis scowled and turned away as Zack frowned. He had no idea Cloud was acquainted with the TURKS. Not just any TURK, but their second in command, the devious Reno. Zack did not trust that guy one little bit, even less than he trusted Genesis. Although he had managed to get Cloud through the sewers unscathed other than the stench attached to his clothing. He turned to smile at Cissnei.

"Thanks, Cissnei."

She smiled sweetly, still flustering slightly at being so close to one of the commanders.

"No problem, Zack." she turned and started to walk away. Zack thought for a moment, then dashed after her.

"H-hey, Ciss!"

She turned as though she was expecting him to give her some sort of ribbon wrapped present. However, Zack had decided something else.

"You know Cloud, right?"

"I did just meet him, yes." Cissnei giggled softly as Cloud glanced back at them, then noticed Genesis was still scowling away in the middle of the room, which had now switched sceneries to that of Kalm's market place.

"Well. He's single. You're single… see where I'm going here?"

Cissnei raised an eyebrow.

"He's a cadet."

"So?"

"A rather… smelly… cadet."

"He looks fine once he's washed up." better than fine, Zack thought. However if he got Cloud a girlfriend he figured he wouldn't have to worry about having any strange desires for the blonde, or a repeat of last night's moment.

Cissnei gave him the look of 'what're you planning' before sighing.

"I'll have a think about it." was all she replied before walking through the corridor, leaving the second class standing there.

"Take your clothes off."

Zack's jaw dropped open.


	11. Chapter 11

_AN ;; so... many...reviews..._

_is it Christmas already or are you guys just very generous? ^_^ Oh, don't worry about my health. I get around three chapters written a day, but that'll slow to only one or two chapters a day in the following weeks, then maybe one every two days. Gotta study for exams. But i've taken this week off just to relax (we have a two week holiday right now). So here's another chapter._

_Yes, Genesis has a thing for Angeal. However Angeal is quite heterosexual. So Genesis is content flirting with the entire ShinRa army to make up for his lack of loving with the honourable commander. Genesis is bisexual, so females and males are not safe from his prying eyes! Should Angeal make an honest man out of him, or shall we continue to allow Genesis to torment the facility with his lustful ways?_

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Genesis was deadly serious. Cloud stared up at the taller man with a look of bewilderment in his eyes. He wanted him to…undress? Cloud looked at his muck covered clothes and decided it seemed a viable enough request. He began to slip off his navy blue combat shirt, his tan scarf falling away from his pale neck when he tugged it slightly.

"You pervert!"

Cloud stopped half way as he lifted his shirt up, Zack flying past him and confronting the crimson commander. Cloud wondered if he should continue despite the two SOLDIERS standing glaring at one another with equally hard determination. He slipped off the shirt and stood awaiting command.

"Very good, cadet." Genesis murmured as he took in Cloud's physique. Cloud was slim built, but already the beginnings of muscles around his abdomen and chest were forming from the cadet training. His skin as pale as milk, his nipples were small and a delicate pink upon his chest. Genesis noticed the thin line of white where the scar above Cloud's chest lay, located slightly below his collarbone. Cloud's chest and stomach was hairless; odd for someone of a mountainous decent. But it simply made the boy more beautiful as Genesis trailed his eyes towards the boy's waistline...

"See! You're staring at him like he's food! Damnit Gen!"

Genesis scowled as Zack stepped in front of the cadet, who had began to shiver slightly in the sudden cold of the room. Cloud hid his wavering eyes beneath the strands of his blonde hair, turning his head down toward the floor, leaning slightly against Zack's back. Zack felt a warm sensation running through his heart as Cloud hid behind him. He felt like a hero protecting his friend from the lustful gaze of the perverted commander. Gaia, he had only left for a moment to ask Cissnei for a date for his friend and the commander had practically got him naked. He couldn't leave Genesis alone with anyone!

Genesis found that, although the scene was touching, he'd much rather be setting fire to the blonde than watch him cower behind one Zackary Fair.

"Take him to get some clean clothes. You have half an hour." Genesis muttered as he turned to walk through the setting, ignoring the strange desire he now held for the equally strange cadet.

The raven haired second class turned back to a still shirtless Cloud, ignoring the own need becoming apparent within his nether regions just from the sight of the half naked cadet, running a hand down his arm, he smiled.

"Let's go find you something to wear, yeah?" when Cloud nodded his response, Zack felt a weight being lifted from his shoulders. What had Genesis been playing at, asking him to get naked for their fight? Sure he smelt a bit bad, but if he wasn't wearing clothes against Genesis, he was most definitely going to get third degree burns.

Zack led the way out of the room and towards one of the training equipment cupboards. He opened the doors and was nearly crushed by a pile of wooden swords collapsing down on them. He rubbed the back of his head, whistling as he checked around for anyone else in the corridor, then dived into the small room in search for clothes.

Cloud sat on the floor by the wooden swords and leaned his head back against the wall. A soft sigh escaped him as he held the dirtied shirt in his hands. A fluffy white towel landed on his head. Cloud lifted it slightly to see Zack giving him the thumbs up, grinning.

"I'll let you use the shower in my apartment once this is over." he promised his younger friend, eyes filled with that Zack Fair confidence so many wished they could have. Cloud smiled slightly, eyes softening and lowering his upper eyelids slightly down his eyes as he relaxed, shoulders slouching and toes uncurling in his boots. He rubbed the towel over his head.

Zack continued looking until he pulled out a pair of black combat slacks and a white t shirt. He examined the shirt, noticing it was for girls, but handing it to Cloud anyway. What did it matter what gender a piece of clothing was made for? It wasn't pink, so it didn't exactly scream 'girl'. He sat waiting for Cloud to change, then figured he should probably look the other way.

"Ahem." Zack turned his head away, closing his eyes despite his instincts screaming at him to watch. He was not going to take a page out of Genesis' book of perverted nature. However, as Cloud pulled off his trousers, contemplating whether on ditching his boxers as well, Zack was drawn to the sight of the small bulge in Cloud's pants. He found himself watching from the corner of his eye, taking in every detail of Cloud's psychical attributes, everything from that small scar on his upper chest to the dark regions of that pubic-less area…

"Zack?"

Zack blinked as Cloud pulled on the trousers, tying his boots back up as he noticed Zack's eyes on him.

"Yeah?"

"You ok?"

Zack scoffed internally. Cloud was so naïve, he really wouldn't be able to let him out of his range of site at this rate. He put on his signature grin, winking.

"Course I am! Come on, let's go kick Gen's ass."

* * *

Genesis began to purr when he examined the new clothing produced by Zackary onto one particular blonde cadet. The tight white shirt clung to the boy's body quite nicely, allowing Genesis to enjoy the sight from afar. He was sat on a market stall, the holographic people going through him as they reached over to hand each other blue pixels which formed into objects. Zack's face set in a deep frown, eyes narrowed, Genesis watched as the second class stood by the door before ushering Cloud in, then moving to the one way glass outside which could be seen through but not out. But despite this, Genesis could still feel and sense Zack's dark glare attached to him. He ran his tongue over the side of his upper lip, teeth glistening beneath the artificial sunlight as Cloud approached, holding the broadsword Zack had handed to him before he entered.

"Are you single, cadet?"

Cloud abruptly halted as the crimson commander smiled at him ever so sweetly from where he sat. Cloud felt the strangely warm pixels moving through him as he stood in the square of Kalm town, analysing the large buildings around them for possible advantage points.

"What do you mean, commander?" Cloud could hear Genesis chuckling softly, a near silent laugh which normal human ears would not be able to pick up on.

"I'm asking if you have a girlfriend, Strife?" Genesis mused, a flicker of flame dancing upon the palm of his right hand as he held it before him.

Cloud realised what the commander meant. He exhaled. Why was this man such an insufferable pervert? He must be related to Don Cornio in some way or form, Cloud quietly joked.

Had Cloud had a girlfriend? He'd never really thought about that before. He was never particularly interested in girls; not to say he was interested in men either, but he had never had that feeling of…what was it they called it? Love? Love. He had had some sort of infatuation with Tifa when they had grown up together as children in Nibelheim, which later grew into a deep, mutual respect when they became comrades in arms against the evils of the world. But that was as far as it had ever went, despite the blonde knowing full well that Tifa desired him as much more than a mere friend. Even Denzel had scolded him about it in his old world when Tifa had patiently waited two months for a phone call from him.

It was not that Cloud did not want to call the brunette, he simply had no time. He had fought to seek redemption, forgiveness for his sins, for being unable to protect his friends from their fates, but he had never fully accepted his failures. He knew he could do things differently. With Zack, with Aeris…

As for Aeris, Zack was her true love. She had only been interested in him after he had also ended up falling through her church roof in a near exact Zack fashion, while also containing his personality and retaining most of his memories. While they had gone on a single date in Gold Saucer, it had never really felt right to Cloud. None of his past felt right. No. This new world, this new beginning. It felt right.

"No, sir, I do not."

"Please, call me Genesis." Genesis' sapphire eyes twinkled with devilish intentions. He moved from the stall, swiftly navigating through the crowds of pixel people and stopping close to Cloud, his head tilted toward the ground, eyes locked on to the cadet. "Would you like to go on a date with me, Cloud?" a playful smile slid over his lips, "after we have settled things here, of course."

A thud against the wall beckoned Zack's outrage outside the training room. Cloud blinked, noticing the commander had began to move yet again, and although he tried to keep up, he could only notice the slithers of red jacket amongst the crowd. Cloud slashed his sword downward into the red, but found that only Genesis' jacket lay on the floor where he now faced. Cloud felt the fingers running over his chest and became a statue, solidifying where he stood. Genesis stood towering over him from behind, a hand running across his white shirt, stopping when it came to the edge between shirt and trousers. He was now jacketless, wearing only his tight black pants and a sleeveless black shirt, his waist accompanied by a variety of different belts. Cloud shuddered under the touch, cerulean eyes widened in confusion as Genesis purred behind his ear, that hot breath caressing his skin.

"Though I must warn you…I'm quite the lover, or so I'm told…" his tongue slid across Cloud's ear lobe.

Cloud hit into the commander with his elbow, sending the man back a few feet into the crowd. With his body now free from the commander's clutching hands, Cloud twisted round to face his opponent, but again found nothing but the remnants of where Genesis had fallen, a gathering of scattered blue pixels quickly reassembling themselves into the image of a crowd once more. Cloud narrowed his eyes and looked around, trying to act like he didn't know what he was doing, trying to make his footsteps seem slow and clumsy, his sword strokes erratic and out of place as he slashed through pixel people. However he could sense Genesis was close, very close.

A blaze of fire rushed toward him. Cloud had no choice but to dive out of the way, rolling over the ground and onto one knee as Genesis smirked.

"You're very skilled for a cadet. Anyone would think you had previous training."

Shit.

Cloud readied his sword as Genesis charged up another ball of fire in his hand. Ah, to hell with it. He rushed forward.

Genesis swung the flames towards him with ease, having done this a thousand times before. However he had never taken on a merely cadet before. And this seemed to be something else entirely. Cloud Strife was deliberately trying to lower himself. He wondered if Zack was also seeing this outside from the observation angle. The blonde cadet was trying to make them think he did not know what he was doing. His footsteps were obviously made clumsy, his use of the sword ignorant and pathetic. But when he dodged with such ease, landing with perfect balance, Genesis knew. Who was this cadet?

Genesis did not have long to ponder on these thoughts, however, as Strife decided his sham was up. He rushed forward, intent on being the one to strike first. Genesis swung his blade in an upward motion, the swords colliding. Sparks grit into the air as Cloud's eyes narrowed into sharp blue slits. Genesis smirked. He could have fun with this.

"Do you know of Zackary's feelings for you?" he purred lowly as Cloud's eyes widened slightly. Genesis sent a blaze of fire directly at Cloud's waist. Cloud leapt backward, landing on the balls of his feet as the commander continued to smirk.

"What do you mean?"

Genesis' could have danced with joy. This was going to be so, so much fun.

"He wants you." Genesis easily avoided another strike of Cloud's sword, the blade hacking into the metal floor beneath them and nearly colliding with a trail of wires and piping, "he _desires_ you."

Cloud's eyes widened in rage. Genesis kept dodging the attacks, having successfully goaded the now furious cadet. He slammed his sword into Cloud's and sent the fifteen year old flying to the side, crashing through pixelated carts and people. Cloud pushed himself up from the haystack where he had fallen, blonde hair merging near perfectly in the long yellow strands.

Genesis was now enjoying the entertainment too much to stop, ignoring Zack's yells of protest outside of the room. Fingers twisting in a repeat motion, he played with a single small flame as he awaited for Cloud to get back to his feet.

"He wants to _fuck_ you hard in your tight _virgin_ ass."

His last statement was perfection. Cloud strode towards him, completely shutting down. His face had gone stoic, solemn, it reminded Genesis very much of how Sephiroth could just switch off in a heartbeat when he took one a thousand Wutaian warriors. It made his plans all the more palatable.

Cloud rushed forward and slammed his sword into Genesis', who easily blocked, but instead Cloud did not stand still and await his turn. He started to push forward, moving his feet so Genesis' sword was slowly getting closer to his throat. Genesis narrowed his eyes, sneering.

"Looks like I found someone's dirty little secret, Cloud?" he leaned his head forward, daring to get closer to the ever approaching sword, eyes mere inches away from the blonde cadet's, "what would Zack say, knowing you feel this way?"

Cloud snapped back to reality. He shoved forward, nearly taking Genesis' head off in the process. The commander ducked down, slashing upward with his blade into Cloud's chest. Cloud was silent as he felt the metal tear his skin, but the wound was not deep. Genesis was simply sparring, otherwise he would have cut him in two. How could he let himself get so wound up that he completely shut down, just from the stupid commander's jests? He could cope with Kain and the other idiots in his dorm quite easily. But they had never brought Zack into it…at least, not with such vulgarity.

Utilizing the buildings nearby, Cloud turned and leap up onto a cart, then onto the rooftops. Genesis followed within seconds, always on the same step as Cloud, if not a step ahead. Cloud readied his blade as they stood on the tiles above the town. Genesis purred.

"Do you and Zack make love often? It's just you seem a little stressed…" his words dripping with venom, Cloud did not reply.

"Nothing you can say will affect me. Not again." he replied after a moment of silence, the two sizing each other up. Genesis without his red jacket was much smaller than he first appeared, being around the same size as Zack, if a little taller, with a slimmer build. Cloud could work with this. Although they were both equally as fast and athletic, Cloud had something Genesis did not.

Patience.

Genesis lunged into the air and twisted his body, turning into a wheel of blades. Cloud ducked under him as the tiles slid from the building, Genesis landing and walking away from the falling slate. Cloud smiled slightly. Genesis noticed the look on the younger's face and couldn't resist jabbing at him.

"Thinking of Zack?" he queried, in that ever upper, dominating voice. Ever claiming to be the superior. Cloud softened his eyes.

"Always."

Genesis smirked, seeming appeased with this answer. He rushed forward again. Cloud slashed the red blade away from him as Genesis struck downward, ending up with his sword stuck half way into the building. Cloud held his sword ready, waiting for the commander to yank his weapon out of the roof.

"Stuck?" he questioned, noticing the glare developing on Genesis' face. The commander set fire to the surrounding area of the building, yanking his sword out of the tiles, he didn't realise that beneath the sheets of slate, the building was very, very flammable.

Genesis took a step closer to Cloud and fell through the blue pixels. Cloud waited until he heard the thud below and smiled. He leapt down after the commander, finding him buried under a pile of wood and rubble, struggling to get out, his sword at the other side of the room. Cloud rested his tip of his blade on Genesis' throat. The commander turned his head slightly to stare up at the blonde cadet in utter bewilderment.

"Do you yield?"

Genesis then felt the rage coursing through him as the question was put to him. No one had ever defeated him in such a humiliating fashion. No one. It was not acceptable. No. No. NO.

Fire building in his free hand, he slammed his hand into Cloud's broadsword, gripping onto it as Cloud stared down at him in confusion.

"Never."

Sending a blast of fire into Cloud's sword, the metal shattered, the cadet being thrown through the wall with the power that came from Genesis' rage. Cloud slammed into a wall in the other room, feeling his ribs crack, he gasped for air as his endorphins rushed in to protect him from the pain which threatened to break his resolve. As he fell, the scene began to turn into blue pixels, soon fading. Cloud lay coughing, some blood coming from his mouth as Zack ran towards him.

"Cloud! Cloud!" the raven haired SOLDIER fell to his knees by his friend, pulling up his shirt to examine the huge red mark that was now building upon Cloud's side. "Genesis, you bastard!"

Said Genesis was also still lying on the floor. He cringed, as though he had been wounded. Cloud could see the remains shattered sword scattered across the training room, a fragment close to Genesis.

No.

Not again.

Please, Gaia. No.

Cloud pulled himself to his feet, ignoring Zack's protests as he stumbled closer to Genesis. No. If he had been hit with one of the metal scraps, he would go into degeneration again, he would go AWOL, turn hundreds of SOLDIER employees into his pawns, be the means of an end to Zack…

Genesis let out a bitter laugh as he sat up. He pulled himself up to his feet, running a hand over his lips. Uninjured, the commander had simply been acting to gain some sort of attention for himself. Zack stood glaring at him as he walked away to pick up his blade, then his discarded jacket, before looking back down at the bruised cadet - who had fallen back to his knees in agony - raising an eyebrow.

"You did well, Strife." the crimson commander purred as Zack lay an arm under Cloud's, helping him back to his feet, "why don't you join us for dinner some time? Say, this Thursday?"

Cloud was too exhausted from the battle and from the pain numbing his body to realise what Genesis was saying. He simply nodded as he felt Zack's warm breath on his neck, causing his heart to miss a beat. Cloud leaned back into Zack's strong embrace, his eyes partially closed as the second class held him tightly.

"Cloud..." Zack murmured as he leaned his head against Cloud's, their foreheads touching.

Genesis glanced back at the two and frowned. They seemed so complete, so perfect together. He pulled out his black cell phone, dialling the number he knew oh so well, he quietly muttered his greeting.

"Angeal, we have a problem."


	12. Chapter 12

_AN ;; due to you guys being so supportive throughout my week of publishing this, I've decided to give you a treat. Behold, Sephy's long awaited first appearance ~_

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Awaking from yet another horrific nightmare, Cloud Strife lay bandaged up in the ShinRa first aid rooms. He had been here for two days now, unable to move due to the pain elevating from his cracked ribs. The side of his body was wrapped tightly with the clean, white bandages, along with healing ointment which would be applied every few hours by the nurse. ShinRa certainly didn't put a lot of money into their health centre, considering there was only one nurse in the entire facility. But she had been surprisingly kind to Cloud, to which he was most grateful. He had been able to pull out of classes for a week thanks to Zack putting a kind word in for him to Corporeal Riley. While Cloud knew he was missing valuable training, he couldn't help but admit it was relaxing to sleep in a room without eleven other males both snoring and grunting away in their sleep.

He lay in the small bed staring up at the dank wall above him. To each of his sides another three beds were lined up, along with being across from him. Kain had been in temporarily the first day due to constantly throwing up from drinking contaminated alcohol from the slums. He had poked fun at Cloud, but kept his distance, not sure if the blonde cadet had some sort of contagious ailment. Cloud had smiled at this, despite the hardening pain in his side whenever he moved ever so slightly on the thin mattress. To his left a bouquet of Aeris' flowers sat in a vase, to which Zack had brought for him on his first day when Kain had staggered out of the first aid halls. Zack had slept on the chair by his side for the remainder of the day, exhausted from a mission he had been on in the slums. He had been hacking through monsters in the sewers, reported from the TURKS, which Cloud assumed would have taken a few hours at least. Though Zack arrived only half an hour later, covered head to toe in sewage and monster blood, and collapsed on the chair next to him. Had he rushed just to come back to him? Cloud had softened his eyes as he stared at the sleeping raven head. Such an unknown hero, even to himself.

The crimson commander himself who had been the one to give him the wounds to which now left him immobile for two days had not once been to visit. Every few hours Zack's phone would ring and he would scowl at the caller ID before hanging up, but not before he muttered a cold, "Piss off."

Cloud raised an eyebrow but said nothing more as Zack turned back to him, now on his second day in the nurse's care, it was getting close to the end of visiting hours. However Zack would not budge and simply pretended to be asleep whenever the nurse came to shoo him out. This time, however, his eyes were watching Cloud with a strange look.

"Zack?" Cloud questioned, sitting up slightly. He found the pain in his side had began to disappear on the second morning here, and now it seemed very little at all. Shit. The mako in his body must have healed the bones quicker than he anticipated. He was going to have to work hard to get out of this.

"Cloud… why are you lying to me?" Zack's usually softened, friendly sapphire eyes were hardened into cold, dark oceans, his signature smile no longer present on his lips as he glared down at his feet.

Cloud sat up fully, noticing Zack's hand clenched into a fist in the thin bed sheets. He was visibly shaking.

"Zack… what are you talking about…?" Cloud knew. His performance with Genesis, his skills with the materia which most likely would have been reported back to Zack, his taking down Kain in weapons practice. He had only been surprised that Zack had not asked sooner.

"Why have you been pretending…?" Zack did not look at him. He was trying to stay calm, concentrate.

"I didn't want to be judged…" Cloud lied, feeling his insides twisting as they were ensnared by barbed wire. How could he lie to the one man he had ever loved, the one man he wished, wished he had been strong enough to protect?

_Dirty liar._

"Judged?!" Zack shot up on the metal seat next to the infirmary bed, "you could get straight into SOLDIER with the skills you have! Why the hell are you acting like you're some useless cadet?! I don't get it!" Zack was visibly torn. On one side, he liked the idea of Cloud being a weak, desperately needing protected cadet, but on the other he wanted Cloud to live to his full potential as the true SOLDIER he was.

"I…I'm sorry…" Cloud looked away, turning his chin towards his collarbones, eyes closing, "I didn't think I was good enough…"

"Good enough?" Zack scoffed, "you defeated Genesis! You set fire to a training room with a level one materia! You're in cahoots with the TURKS for crying out loud! How do you still think you're not good enough?"

"It's not the same."

"What on Gaia are you talking about? You're a SOLDIER, Cloud! Second class at the least! If we showed your abilities to Angeal, or Lazard, you'd get promoted in a sec-"

Cloud did not open his eyes as he replied.

"We're not that different, you and I."

"…What?" Zack was now leaning over the bed, a hand sliding over Cloud's waist line as he held him down. He was not having the blonde cadet run off on him.

"You want to be a hero… I want to be the one who saves you…" his eyes finally made their way to an exasperated raven haired second class, who still leaned over him.

"Cloud, that dream…" Zack ran a hand over Cloud's cheek, turning his stare to his own, being only inches away from his lips.

"It wasn't a dream, Zack."

* * *

"I have no interest in helping you hook Sephiroth up with cadets."

Genesis pouted as he laid back on the couch in Angeal and Zack's apartment, the raven haired first class busying himself in the kitchen with various utensils and ingredients.

"You're no fun, Ang." the crimson commander moaned as he leant over onto his front on the furniture, still wearing his boots. Angeal noticed within seconds of the action.

"No shoes on the furniture, Gen." he warned, waving a spoon in his hand.

Genesis simply allowed a feral smirk to dance across his lips.

"You gonna make me, oh honourable commander?" sapphire irises shining with mischief, he continued to lay there as Angeal approached him with heavy steps, leaning over the sofa arm as Genesis purred.

"You are a tease." he murmured, running a hand under Genesis' chin. The red head parted his lips, running his tongue over the pink flesh delicately to dampen his outer mouth. Angeal leaned closer to him, their noses touching, lips so close that they could feel each others' breath upon their skin.

Angeal whacked Genesis on the head with the spoon. Genesis leapt back, falling off the other end of the sofa as he hissed. Angeal found the reaction incredibly amusing. Zack may be his pup, but Genesis was so much like a cat he couldn't help but picture a fluffed up ginger tail and pinned back ears emerging from the hair upon the commander's head.

"Angeal!" he sat wailing on the floor, his legs sprawled out across the carpet, having nearly hit the television and sent it flying out the glass windows.

"You can try to tempt me as much as you like, Genesis. I'm not gay." Angeal chuckled, turning back as he made his way into the kitchen to continue cooking, "but if I do choose the darker side, you'll be first to know."

"Come on, we have cookies." Genesis begged playfully, getting back onto the couch with his boots still firmly attached and sitting on one knee, holding out his arms in the direction of where his fellow commander stood, "just give me one night, please?"

"I have no intentions of becoming lovers with you, commander." Angeal replied with a grin, noticing Genesis still tempting him, "shoes. Off. Now."

Genesis scowled and pulled off his boots, sending them flying towards the door.

"You will forever keep me waiting, old friend." Genesis muttered, then decided on a new tactic, "it's because of that puppy, isn't it? You love him more than me!"

Angeal stopped abruptly from stirring the bowl. He held the whisk in his hand, staring at the white mixture with a small smile.

"Perhaps…you're right."

"ANGEAL!"

Angeal laughed, a heart warming, deep chuckle that did not help to repair Genesis' broken pride one bit. Angeal realised his friend was no longer playing from the sudden sadness making it's way across the crimson commander's face. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Look. If I ever become gay, you'll be my first choice. Ok?"

"Promise?"

Angeal glanced at Genesis who now sat purring on the floor, eyes widened with hope. He frowned, exhaling lowly.

"Fine."

Genesis smirked victoriously as he left the commander to his house wife duties, instead noticing the vibrating phone on the floor. He grinned. Whoever was calling Angeal at this exact moment was going to have the surprise of their life.

"Oh, Oh! Angeal! Mmm! More! That's the spot! Ah!"

"…Genesis, what are you doing?"

Angeal stared at Genesis with a look of utter exhaustion as he whacked the pillows against each other, holding the phone on his shoulder to his ear, moaning convulsively.

"Nyah! More, Angeal, more!"

"I'm hanging up."

"No! Sephy, don't leave me!" Genesis dropped the pillows and dashed to the furthest side of the room as Angeal thought about apprehending his phone from the immature commander. However when it became clear the red head was not going to part with the phone Angeal returned to his cooking, leaving the silver haired general to suffer with an insufferable Genesis.

"Put Angeal on." Sephiroth sounded tired, clearly sick of Genesis' games.

Genesis however simply continued to purr down the phone. He retreated back to his favourite sofa and landed on his back, his legs levitating in the air as he stretched playfully.

"Will you be attending tonight's dinner, Sephy?" the commander queried, ignoring Angeal's exasperated sigh from the room nearby. He wondered for a moment if the blonde cadet would be able to make it after he had so brutally annihilated him during their spar. He only had a few cracked ribs, it wasn't life threatening.

"If Angeal wishes my presence." the general replied with little emotion. Genesis narrowed his brow. It really was like talking to a machine with this man.

"Yes, he does. He's making his special shepherds pie. He's spent many hours slaving in the kitchen, Seph. You better not let us down."

"Us?"

"Well of course! Did you not think I would want to see you too? It's been at least a month!" Genesis mockingly held a hand to his heart, "I'm wounded, Seph!"

"Very well. What time am I to be expected by?"

Genesis hummed with pleasure. Chocobo cadet would be here around six, which was in two hours, if he was able to get up the elevator in his condition. But with that mako in him, yes, Genesis had noticed, he should be healed by five o'clock at least. If he did not show before six thirty the commander would swoop down to the infirmary himself and drag the cadet by his hair to the apartment, despite Zackary's protests. They would probably need at least half an hour to get the boy settled from his solemn state, so Sephiroth should arrive by, "Seven sound doable?"

Sephiroth was silent for a moment, as though he was contemplating whether an evening with Genesis was the best idea. He replied a few seconds later.

"I will see you then."

Genesis closed the phone when the general hung up. He tilted his head back to notice Angeal watching him from the kitchen with an indeterminable look. He smiled sweetly.

"Beloved?"

"What're you up to this time, Gen?"

Genesis purred with delight. Angeal raised his eyebrows and turned back to his cooking, figuring he was not going to get a straight answer from the fire loving commander.

"For you are beloved by the goddess."

* * *

Zack frowned. Cloud stared back at him as he held him in place, moving slightly away from his face. He sat back on the metal chair, crossing his legs, he intertwined his fingers in his lap and sighed.

"What do you mean, Cloud?"

The blonde cadet shuffled back into the feather pillow slightly, biting his lower lip and tearing at the thin skin.

"You died." was the first sentence that came from the blonde's lips. Zack continued to frown as he nodded.

"Go on?"

"The general… he was made from the cells of an ancient alien who sought to destroy the world, when he found out…" Cloud shook his head, holding a hand to his head, "he killed so many people… tried to destroy the world…"

Zack was torn between the idea that Cloud was insane, or he had hit his head during his spar with Genesis. But surely the nurse would have noticed a bruise big enough on Cloud's head, despite the blonde spikes, to give him such ridiculous ideas? He said nothing as Cloud continued, eventually stopping when his story came to a close.

"Jenova...infected the planet… everyone started turning, infected by her virus, they all became monsters…" Cloud had a tear running from his eye at the next part, "Barret, Yuffie, Vincent, Nanaki, Cid, Cait Sith...they all fell protecting the last survivors, until it was only Tifa and I left..." he turned his head away from his old friend, "I failed them, Zack. Jenova...she won."

"Cloud." Zack murmured. He climbed into the bed beside him, laying on his side, running his hands over Cloud's chest. "Cloud. Does your head hurt?"

"…W-what?"

Zack felt like such a bad person. But what else could he say? Cloud was delusional. Hojo was a freak, but he would never hurt them, they were SOLDIERS. Sephiroth…the man was a machine build solely for ShinRa, he was not programmed to turn on anyone innocent. And as for being created from an alien… despite Sephiroth's appearance, that in itself was just ridiculous. The idea that an alien infected the very planet itself and turned the human population into mindless beasts was ridiculous, near hysterical. Yet the way Cloud was not laughing, his eyes deadly serious...he truly believed his claims.

"Cloud. Have you been taking any kind of medication?" Zack ran his hand through Cloud's hair, searching for a lump, "drugs?"

"What? No! Zack-?" Cloud went limp in his arms as Zack heard his phone vibrating in his trouser pocket. He audibly growled and pulled it open without checking the caller ID.

"What is it?" he snapped, the blonde cadet sitting motionless in his arms.

"Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds." Genesis' purr vibrating through the phone gave Zack an instant headache.

"Piss off Genesis." he moved to cancel the call.

"Wait a second, Zackary. I am simply calling to ask if you and your delightful blonde cadet are attending our dinner tonight?" Zack noticed Cloud had began to move again upon hearing the crimson commander's voice over the phone, as though he had just remembered something.

"Cloud's in no fit condition to leave the infirmary, Gen, seeing as you put him here." Zack muttered, then found Cloud slipping out of the bed, "Cloud?"

"I have to go." the cadet murmured, pulling off the bandages around his chest. Zack stared at the now unblemished skin, a slight tinge of blue in place of where the bruises had been.

"How…?" Cloud's eyes radiating blue, Zack blinked, "I'll call you back, Gen!"

"Huh? What-" Zack hung up on the man and dashed in front of Cloud, stopping him from walking any further.

"Cloud…your eyes…"

"Let me past." Cloud turned his narrowed eyes towards the raven haired SOLDIER, his face falling into an emotionless shield. Zack shook his head.

"Your wound, it's completely healed. The mako-"

"I told you. You think I'm crazy. Get out of the way." Cloud began to move forward but Zack held firm, grabbing Cloud's shoulders.

"What happened to you, buddy?" he stared into Cloud's eyes, so worn and battered, carrying ancient memories and forgotten secrets. Cloud looked away from him, saying nothing. "What… what if I said I believe you?" Zack couldn't believe the words coming from his own mouth as he started rambling, "just… I need proof, Cloud. You can't just make those claims with no proof. Maybe if we-" he knew one person who would be able to tell him if Cloud's story was correct, despite an aching feeling in his chest begging him to believe the blonde. Yet how could he? He had lived in the ShinRa facility for four years, and had seen nothing of this so called Jenova creature, although the bodies SOLDIERS who fell on the battle field never seemed to be recovered...

Cloud turned his cold stare back to him.

"They killed you." was all he murmured. Zack held onto the shorter boy.

"Who?"

Cloud's eyes hardened considerably.

"ShinRa."

Zack swallowed bile down his throat. Ok, this was getting serious. Cloud couldn't just be delusional now in the middle of the infirmary. TURKS were everywhere and if he was caught saying this out loud he would be sent straight to Tseng for interrogation, and most likely never be seen again. Zack released his hold on Cloud's shoulders, taking his hand instead.

"We can't talk about this here, spiky. If they hear you…" he glanced around before turning back to Cloud, who's eyes had began to widen slightly, "look. We'll go to my place, you can tell me everything. Just stay quiet till we get there and no one will get in our way."

Cloud nodded. Zack smiled slightly and turned, walking forward at a brisk pace. Cloud easily kept up with him as they made their way through the infirmary and out into the hallway, ignoring the confused cries coming from the nurse. Zack jogged forward, still holding Cloud's hand, avoiding groups of ShinRa employees as they did so. He noticed a few TURKS in the crowds, watching with hawk like vision as always, but only now did he see them as threats. He slowed to allow Cloud some time to breath, the cadet panting from the sudden burst of exercise. Zack approached the elevator, holding onto his blonde friend as he did so, worried that the TURKS could swoop in at any moment and carry him off. He pressed the button and turned, examining Cloud up and down. The cadet stood patiently behind him, eyes still cold and blurred. Zack sighed. Anyone with that look in their eyes had clearly seen far too many deaths for any life to endure.

The elevator arrived and as Zack pulled Cloud in with him, they never noticed the TURK already standing there.

"Yo! Cloudy!"

Zack blinked as Cloud instantly perked up, staring at the red haired ShinRa assassin with his ever coy smirk dancing upon his lips.

"Reno." Cloud was smiling. Smiling. Zack felt his stomach heave within him. Why was he smiling at some bratty teenager? Not any idiot seventeen year old, but the second in command of the TURKS no less. Zack said nothing until he was also addressed.

"Fair." Reno nodded, still leering away at the short blonde in front of them.

"Reno." Zack muttered his response, not wishing to engage in a conversation with the snake. Instead Cloud stood before the TURK who continued to grin.

"Heard from Cissnei about your battle with Rhapsodos. Tough luck, man. Didn't think the sewer stink would be that bad." Reno snickered as Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"You thought it was going to smell of roses?"

"Could have done. If some pansy shat them out, that is." Cloud started to laugh softly at the reply.

Zack felt one of his eyes twitch as they reached their floor.

"I gotta go, Reno." Cloud murmured, glancing back at the red head who nodded, still sneering.

"Yo! come get pissed in the TURK office with me and Ciss some time, alright? See ya, Spiky!" the TURK called as Zack dragged him by the hand out into the corridor of the apartments. Cloud waved to Reno with his free hand, the red head grinning at the protectiveness of the SOLDIER.

Zack slid his card down the lock to open the doorway, then swung the door open to the apartment, only to come face to face with the crimson commander.

"Ah, Zackary. You've arrived. I was just about to fetch you." Genesis purred, tilting to the side slightly to notice Cloud standing awkwardly behind the second class, "and I see you've brought our guest of honour. Do come in, Strife."

Zack ignored Genesis and pushed past him, walking towards his room across from the living area. Cloud followed, not wanting to spend a moment longer with the commander who'd left him in the infirmary for two days. But as Zack stopped to open his door, Angeal noticed him.

"Zack. Help me lay the table."

Zack felt his wits snap. He turned to see Angeal holding a bowl of sprouts expectantly. Zack sighed. Cloud would have to wait.

"Come sit next to me, Strife." Genesis perked up from the sofa, patting the space next to him. The blonde cadet noticed Zack's frown, then the sigh and shake of his head, and so approached Genesis. Cloud sat down and Zack met with Angeal in the kitchen.

"Can you get me out of this?" Zack begged as his mentor looked at his exasperated body.

"What's wrong?" the first class questioned as he handed another bowl to his apprentice, who put on his best puppy eyes.

"Cloud was telling me something important. I don't want to just leave him alone right now."

"He's not alone. He's got Genesis, though if I were you I'd probably save him. Gen looks like he's about to eat him." Angeal commented quietly and hinted towards the living area.

Zack turned to find Genesis wrapped around Cloud, his lips near his ear, the small boy blushing profusely. Cloud's shirt had been lifted slightly as Genesis examined where the lack of bruising was, whispering something sinister into the blonde cadet's ear which left Cloud with wide eyes and a gawping jaw. Zack let out a yell of outrage and flew towards them.

"You pervert! Get off him!"

Genesis raised his eyebrows, turning his eyes away from his blonde prey and smirking at Zack.

"But he is ever so delectable." the crimson commander purred, running a hand over Cloud's neck, "I could just eat him up."

"Genesis. Release." Angeal grunted as he placed the last of the plates onto the table in front of them before he took his seat opposite from the entwined pair. Cloud offered Angeal a grateful glance, mouthing 'thanks' to him. The commander chuckled as the red head pouted.

"You always ruin my fun, Ang." Genesis muttered, then as Zack smiled to Cloud, heard two loud knocks on the door. "I wonder who that could be." he tilted his head expectantly to the blonde, "would you answer the door for us, Strife?"

"Gen. He's our guest." Angeal pointed out as Zack wondered who it was. Cloud shifted from his place on the sofa towards the door.

"Yes, but I'm ever so tired from all this hard work. I cannot find the strength in my legs to move." the crimson commander smiled sweetly at Angeal, who melted like butter in a hot pan. Zack however was not so sure and also got up, a few steps behind Cloud.

The blonde opened the door as he felt Zack's presence behind him, relaxing ever so slightly with his friend's closeness, only to come face to face with the piercing green eyes of General Sephiroth.


	13. Chapter 13

_AN ;; well well, it seems everyone wants to bed poor Cloud. Please note this is not a Sephiroth x Zack fanfiction. I do not revel in that pairing whatsoever. It focuses on the pairings of Cloud x Seph, Cloud x Zack, and somewhat of Angeal x Genesis. So far Angeal and Genesis do have this 'thing' for one another, but I'm not throwing dozens of pairings into this story. I'm definitely not pairing Vincent and Yuffie. One, she'll be around 9 in this story, and two, he's nearly 50 years old! I don't revel in lolicon whatsoever, plus this is a YAOI based story, so yeah. For now we have Cloud and Sephiroth's first meeting._

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Lime green eyes glistening with some sort of cruel amusement, the general stood fully draped in his battle armour, long locks of silver still stained with dried scarlet blood. The black leather shining beneath the artificial lights of the hallway, Sephiroth stood awaiting entrance to Angeal Hewley and his apprentice, Zackary Fair's, small apartment on the twenty first floor of the ShinRa Midgar facility. His sword, the legendary Masamune, lay sheathed in it's hilt to his side, one gloved black hand on the pommel of the blade. Running those inhuman eyes up and down the blonde cadet standing before him, Sephiroth felt a small smirk pull at his lips. The picture Genesis had sent him certainly did not do justice to the full beauty of the fifteen year old, who seemed neither scared nor overjoyed to see him. Rather, those sapphire eyes were wide and filled with some sort of uncloaked loathing for him. Sephiroth found it very interesting indeed.

"May I come in?" still smiling simply, he awaited the cadet to scuffle to the side so he could pass. However cadet Cloud Strife seemed firmly glued in place, his arms trembling ever so slightly. Sephiroth made no movement to push his way through, his eyes firmly locked on to the cadet's. For one so young, Strife's eyes were certainly hardened from what could only be described as what appeared to be a thousand years of turmoil. Despite the obvious innocent appearance of the boy, he seemed incredibly battle worn. The slight slouch he possessed, clearly from the wound he had received during the spar with Genesis a few days ago, only made Strife appear all the more vulnerable.

Sephiroth was not interested, however, in some timid cadet who enjoyed glaring at his superiors. He was about to threaten the cadet with some deliciously worded warning when Zack shuffled in front of the blonde, tugging him out of the way.

"Sephiroth." Zack stated, an unusually plain form of greeting. Usually the raven haired second class would attempt to embrace him in some sort of strange hug, to which the general would either easily dodge or would leave Zack crippled temporarily on the floor. Instead his eyes were filled with concern for the blonde cadet, who no longer stared at him, instead his glare was focused on the floor.

"Zackary." Sephiroth nodded as he entered the apartment, feeling somewhat like a vampire being granted entrance to the maiden's home. But the only one who acted like a prepubescent school girl was the one crimson cloaked commander who purred upon noticing his arrival.

"General, so good for you to join us." Genesis was mischievously drumming his fingers against each other, leaning back on the couch in the room facing the entrance. Sephiroth approached him, not taking his hand away from the blade handle he clutched.

"I did not wish to refuse Angeal's hospitality." Sephiroth replied in his usual solemn tone. It was not that he did not have emotions, he simply did not see the need to put any into simple words.

Much to the contrast of one near always emotional Zackary Fair. The blonde haired cadet had gone limp in his arms once more, Zack's embrace holding him steady, murmuring something in his ear. Sephiroth turned his gaze back to the scene and raised an eyebrow.

"Should the cadet not be in the infirmary?" he did not take his gaze away from Strife, "from what you told me, Genesis, he was quite badly wounded."

Genesis simply continued to watch the interaction between the two.

"Strife seems to possess mako in his blood, the bones were healed within days." he informed, noticing the sudden pique in the general's curiosity.

"A cadet with mako?" he murmured, Strife's hard, sapphire eyes turning to face him when he snapped out of the trance Zack had around him. Sephiroth smiled slightly when the hate swirling in those mako pool eyes did not vanquish upon glimpsing him once more.

The crimson commander watched the unfolding scenario with great delight. Sephiroth was clearly interested, despite his stoic behaviour. Cloud however seemed even more hateful towards the General than he had seemed when they had first met. His eyes were locked onto the General's with no trace of a retreat happening soon. Genesis mused as the two stared on at each other, analysing one another, neither refusing to break their glare. He glanced at Angeal, who stood in the kitchen watching the interaction with equal confusion and concern. Sephiroth had never been this affected by a mere cadet. Genesis decided that the way Cloud neither cowered in terror, nor fell to his knees in appraisal, simply made the game much, much more interesting.

However the staring match was cut short when Zack moved in front of Cloud's view, turning his stare to himself rather than the latter. Genesis pouted. The twenty year old was starting to become a nuisance. How was he supposed to do this if at every opportunity Zack Fair swooped in on the cadet, who seemed equally interested in the second class as he was in the youth. He audibly growled, catching Sephiroth's interest.

"Something the matter, Genesis?" the general seemed nonchalant about the entire affair. Genesis could have thrown him out the window, if he wasn't sure of the fact he would be dragged out after him.

"The arrow has left, the bow of the goddess." he murmured simply, when Zack turned to the rest of them, Strife's eyes facing the doorway rather than the other inhabitants of the room.

"'Geal, I'm gonna take Cloud back to the dorms." Zack informed his mentor, who held a bowl in his hands.

"You've barely eaten anything." he pointed out the untouched plates on the table.

Zack waved his hands in the air.

"I'm sure Seph will have my share. Cloud's just feeling a bit sick. I'll be back later, yeah?" he opened the door and the blonde cadet shuffled out, seeming as though his legs had become solid granite.

Angeal frowned as Zack left the room, Genesis leaning over the table towards the black leathered General who continued to stare at the empty space where Cloud Strife had been.

"So?"

"…What do you want me to say?" Sephiroth turned those feline eyes to the commander, who continued to lean over the table, a large grin growing on his lips.

"You like him." he declared. Sephiroth had clearly, most definitely been affected by this meeting with the cadet. Genesis felt victorious. No one he had ever tried to get the General with had made the silver hair even bat an eyelid. But the way his gaze kept lingering on where Strife had been stood… was most delightful to the entertained commander.

"…Genesis, I have no interest in cadets." Sephiroth's reply seemed wavered, as though he did not know what to respond. So emotionally detached. Genesis raised his eyebrows expectantly, awaiting more, "No, Genesis."

"Yes, Sephiroth." he leaned back, getting into a more comfortable position on the couch, his boots still on.

"Shoes off my furniture." Angeal muttered as he tapped Genesis' legs.

Genesis raised his legs to allow Angeal to sit, then placed them back down, onto Angeal's lap. Angeal frowned considerably as Genesis purred.

"Take my shoes off for me, beloved."

Angeal promptly threw Genesis off the sofa and onto the floor. Sephiroth smiled lightly at the two twenty three year olds as they glared at each other, Genesis begging to be allowed back on the sofa, while Angeal made it perfectly clear he was sick of the crimson commander using his furniture as a matt to clean his boots.

"I see nothing has changed here." the General commented partially to himself as he examined the food before him. SOLDIERS required to eat daily and near constantly due to the mako in their systems burning off near all calories the took in. However, he did not enjoy eating in public and so had spent little to no time eating during his month in Wutai. He unclipped the straps of his jacket and leaned forward, filling a plate with food as his two younger friends turned back to him.

"How was your time in Wutai?" Angeal was the first to reply with the question, Genesis climbing back to his feet and skulking around the furniture towards Sephiroth. The General paid no attention to Genesis as he suddenly draped his arms around him, purring delightfully in his ear as he ran his wet tongue across his ear lobe.

"Did you meet anyone I should know about, Sephy?" the commander jested, making sure to keep his eyes on Angeal at all times.

Angeal simply turned his eyes away, ignoring Genesis' attempts to make him envious. Genesis silently huffed as Sephiroth ignored his question.

"It was…pleasant." he murmured, while Genesis noticed his lime green eyes still trailing back to where cadet Strife had been. He released the General with a loud sigh and made his way towards the door. "I brought you chocolate, Genesis."

Genesis stopped abruptly a few feet from the door, that signature grin building in size upon his lips.

"And my Wutaian seaweed?"

"Tseng advised against it. Apparently they would not allow me cross the borders with that."

Genesis turned and leapt through the air full speed onto ShinRa's general, wrapping his arms around him tightly and kissing his neck. Sephiroth sat motionless as Angeal slapped a hand onto his forehead, audibly groaning.

* * *

Zack did not take Cloud back to the dormitories, however. Marching him single file through the ShinRa facility, they did not slow the pace when they exited the building and into the darkness of the dimly lit streets. The second class pulled him along after him as they boarded the sector eight train, Zack visibly frustrated. Cloud said nothing, still in shock from having been only a few feet away from the general. Those eyes, that smile… He shook his head, running his hands over his face and into the depths of his blonde hair. No, don't let him get inside your head again. He sat on an empty seat as Zack padded back and forth in the walkway, ignoring the grunts coming from the civilians as he did so, his heavy boots clattering against the metal as he marched. He eventually let out an exasperated sigh, loud enough to sound like the train breaks themselves, and flopped down on the seat next to Cloud. Keeping his hair in front of his eyes, Cloud suddenly wished he was invisible.

An admitted asthenophobiac, to act in such a way in front of the General, the one enemy he had never regretted killing… was disgraceful. Repulsive. Disgusting. Zack must think he was nothing more than some terrified cadet now. He had completely shut down, seeing nothing but the leering monster of whom had torn his world apart. Murderer. Cloud glanced at the raven haired man beside him, wondering what Zack was thinking. Did the idea of time travel really seem that absurd when they lived in a world filled with monsters and a sickly blue liquid created from the souls of the dead?

"Please believe me." he murmured, but received no response from the second class SOLDIER, who continued to look the other way from him, as though he was ashamed to be seen with him.

Where was he taking him? Was he escorting him out of Midgar, to throw him out of the SOLDIER programme? They had already passed through sector seven and were heading towards sector six, which would then be followed by sector five...

Then it hit him.

"Zack, are we going to see Aeris?"

Zack turned and stared at him as though he had just told him the meaning of life.

"How did you-?"

"Because I've met her before." Cloud replied, hoping this would somehow prove he was not insane, "she was one of my closest friends, in the old world..." Zack stared at him for a while longer, not moving his blue gaze from his frail cadet body until the train came to a halt in the sector five station. Zack lifted himself up off the seat and stood on the platform, awaiting Cloud to follow him. Then he did something unexpected.

"Lead the way."

Cloud looked up at the taller man. Zack was serious now, his face hardened, composed. Cloud nodded and started to walk forward into the slums of sector five. If anyone could convince Zack he was not insane, it would be Aeris.

Cloud made his way through the shadows of the slum with the SOLDIER following behind him, broadsword unsheathed in case they encountered any monsters during the journey. All they found on the way, however, was the occasional drunk civilian hurtling insults at the pair. Cloud sighed as he saw the top of the church in the distance and slowed.

"Zack, please don't hate me." as the raven haired man walked right past him, Cloud felt as though a knife had been thrust into his side. He slowly padded after him, keeping up around six foot behind as they approached the entrance of Aeris' church.

Zack stood at the doorway, then turned to Cloud.

"You told me… you said I died." his blue eyes examined Cloud's face for any signs of hysteria, drunkenness, something that explained what the cadet was telling him.

"Yes…" the blonde cadet murmured simply, appearing thoroughly broken.

Zack frowned slightly, parting his lips, he didn't quite know how to word his next question.

"Did…did Aeris…?"

"Yes." Cloud said nothing more. What would be the point if Zack did not even believe him? Zack let out a small sigh, the air escaping him as he began to move the door open.

* * *

The empty corridors of the ShinRa facility gave off the impression that the entire building was abandoned. From the crowds of guards, employees, TURKS and SOLDIERS only a few hours ago to not a single soul as soon as the eight o'clock chime echoed through the facility, the only living form in the spacious hallways made his way through the silent darkness, the dimly lit lights flickering on and off as he started toward another elevator. Sephiroth took little notice of the emptiness, having always been content with his own self. He had never been lonely, and so such environments did not affect him.

It took approximately four elevators to get to the silver General's own personal floor, of which had been designed as a huge apartment for the captive to live within, just beneath the office of President ShinRa himself. This was designed purely as a security measure for the owner of the company, not for the well being of the General himself. For although his apartment was spacious, it did not contain a single window. He had already searched his apartment with Angeal and Genesis when he first moved in at only sixteen years of age for any recording and camera devices and found each and every single one, hidden amongst his book shelves to the bathroom tiles themselves. Genesis and Angeal were left paranoid themselves, for sharing their own apartment just a few floors below his with the other second classes, feared they were also being watched. But Sephiroth knew that his was a special case.

A special existence, you could say. For he knew full well he could never leave ShinRa. And although the scientists and Hojo made sure to accompany him everywhere as a child, then pay for his every need as an adult, he had never felt fully…satisfied with what he had been given. He was not a selfish person like Genesis who, if he was given a present he did not find particularly enjoyable, would set fire to it, but nor was he content like Angeal with the simple things in life.

But upon seeing the blonde cadet, it suddenly became clear what he was missing.

He had never been threatened before. Never felt excitement from being in a fight. For he knew, from his regular training since the age of nine right up until now, that he could never be defeated. However, from what Genesis had told him of cadet Cloud Strife, it seemed he had found someone worth his interest. If the cadet had really defeated Genesis, despite the man's protests otherwise, at the age of only fifteen, it meant he had a challenge.

Now Sephiroth was patient. He could wait for years for something he desired, in the case of his apartment, he had waited sixteen years to have his own space away from the prying eyes of the scientists, despite their attempts to keep it otherwise. He had waited four years until he had gone all out in a battle with Genesis and Angeal, but even still they had never compared to him. They were the best fighters he knew, and so he had promoted them to being his commanders at only twenty years of age. But they could not defeat him. And he secretly desired to have a challenge which made his heart pound and his head spin.

He had had never had hopes in Zackary Fair, despite his obvious strength and determination to be a hero. Zack could fair only so well against Angeal, and would be completely destroyed by Genesis should the commander ever fully lose his temper. He had managed to survive his onslaughts during training for around ten minutes, but then, Sephiroth had not been going full out on him. No, he did not want to hurt Angeal's apprentice, the fondly nicknamed 'puppy' of SOLDIER.

But he wanted, more than anything, craved even, to find someone who could give him the challenge of a life time. Someone who would be worthy of his desires, his love. He did not want any of the countless females or males that Genesis deemed interesting enough to sleep with, despite his obvious adoration for Angeal. Nor did anyone Genesis offered him. But this time Genesis seemed to have cracked a chip in his concrete heart. This cadet, and he was quite willing to wait until he was a fully fledged SOLDIER, had something that the many others he had torn apart with Masamune did not. Something wanted to break apart and make useless. Something he would shatter and build back up in his own image.

Courage.

_AN ;; Oh dear. It seems Genesis is not the only sadist we have in this story. Cloud better keep away from the Silver Elite, they'll tie him up in ribbons and present him to the almighty Sephiroth as some kind of wicked sacrifice._

_But of course, we Yaoi loving fangirls would absolutely love to see this, would we not?_


	14. Chapter 14

_AN ;; Trying to keep the story at a good pace, tell me if it gets too slow or goes too fast to keep up with. Sephy is interested in Cloud, while Zack also has some sort of 'thing' he doesn't quite want to admit to himself. Cloud on the other hand is blissfully unaware of the two having any interest in him. He wants to just focus on being strong enough to protect the planet from the destiny he failed to change, and try to convince Zack he's not insane._

_So here is chapter fourteen. Seph isn't in this chapter, sorry guys. Concentrating on Zack and Cloud's dilemma for now._

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Zack braced himself as he pushed open the doors to the church, taking a few shaking steps forward. Boots stepping heavily down onto the cobbles beneath them, he made his way forward. What Cloud was telling him was preposterous, unbelievable, cruel… but somewhere in his heart, he could tell that Cloud was not insane. The raven haired SOLDIER looked through the darkness, shadows seeping across the wooden benches as a few mice scurried away from the humans as they slowed around six feet from the glistening flowers beneath the faint starlight. Zack waited for Aeris to get to her feet as she lay there on her knees, praying to the planet with silent whispers. Cloud said nothing as he stood behind the second class.

When Aeris finished, she titled her head up slightly, a low hum escaping her. The flowers seemed to tilt towards her, as though her soft song was a type of calling to the plants. Petals shivering within the soft breeze coming through the doorway behind the two men, Zack and Cloud said nothing as she began.

"You came."

Zack glanced at Cloud as he took a cautious step forward, closer to the cetra, not knowing whether Zack would permit him to pass by him. Zack made no attempt to move as Aeris also got to her feet, turning to face them with those beautiful, emerald eyes so many men fell in love with instantly upon a single glance. Her beauty radiated beneath the celestials above, powerful enough to blind anyone who was not worthy of being within the confines of the religious structure. Aeris stepped carefully through the flowers and slid her arms around Cloud's upper arms, pulling him into a close hug, her head resting on his shoulder. Zack did not feel a pang of jealousy as he thought he would upon seeing this, slightly slouching his shoulders in the darkness they stood in, the light of the stars above being the only way they could see each other, despite the mako in the two males' systems.

Aeris released Cloud from her arms and stepped back, leaning forward slightly.

"Smile, silly." her voice, always the tone of gold honey even when she scolded them, managed to bring a small smile to the blonde cadet's lips. Zack said nothing as the two stood before each other, Aeris' eyes filled with adoration for the younger of them. When the cetra turned to him, he didn't quite know how to respond.

"I suppose you want answers, Zack." Aeris played with the pink bow in her hair as he stood bewildered before them. Cloud shuffled away and sat down in the flowers, making sure not to crush any under his boots. Aeris held out her hand to Zack and led him into her garden before sitting down also.

"I probably shouldn't have said anything." Cloud murmured as Aeris tilted her head towards him, the three sitting in some sort of strange flower filled triangle.

"Don't worry. He would have found out sooner or later." she confirmed, the raven haired man still silent other than his quiet breathing.

Aeris scavenged through the flowers and found a golden one for Cloud, and a white one for Zack. She placed the flowers into their spiky hair before continuing, Cloud running his fingers over the satin like feeling of the petals.

"Everything Cloud has told you is true, Zack. Cloud has lived this all before." Aeris began, her hands on her lap as she turned her full attention to the second class, "this world is just one of many paradox realms which intertwine in the lifestream."

Zack nodded, not quite sure what to respond. So the cetra continued.

"The cetra could move through the lifestream into the different realms. My mother stayed behind when the rest of our people left to enter a new world." she explained, pulling off the beaded bangle on her arm and holding it in the air, "it's kind of like this. The beads are the worlds, and the string is the lifestream. It flows through the worlds and connects them all. Although each world is the same, there are varying events which result in the differentiating fates of each world. In Cloud's world…" she turned her emerald gaze to Cloud, who sat with his knees up to his chest, "they all died."

Zack blinked, turning to stare at the blonde cadet. Cloud said nothing as he listened to Aeris explain.

"In Cloud's world, Genesis and Angeal started degrading, as they were made from G cells by the scientist Hollander." Aeris noticed Zack's eyes widen as his mentor was mentioned, "they needed S cells to survive, but ShinRa refused to help them. They were…replaceable."

Zack felt anger building in his heart. ShinRa had left Angeal and Genesis to die? What kind of monsters was he working for?

"Genesis and Angeal's disappearance from ShinRa lead up to Genesis revealing the secret of Sephiroth's birth to him. The general was created from the DNA of an alien known as Jenova, who sought to destroy the cetra and take the planet as her own."

Upon hearing the silver general's name, Cloud shuffled where he sat, eyes hardening, but continued to stay silent. Zack on the other hand was staring at Cloud, the guilt washing over him.

"ShinRa made Sephiroth as the ultimate SOLDIER so no one could stop them taking over the world. They did not care for his feelings, nor for what would happen when he finally realised his true birth. He destroyed Cloud's hometown, and tried to kill you." Zack felt the blood draining from his cheeks as the idea of Sephiroth going crazy made him openly terrified, "Cloud stopped him."

"…Then?" Zack had to ask. He wanted to know everything.

However, it was Cloud who replied.

"Hojo got us." the blonde murmured, staring down at his lap where he held his knees. His face hidden beneath the fabric, only Cloud's shaking body explained to Zack of the pain he was feeling. Zack crawled closer to the blonde and pulled him into his arms, resting his head against his cheek.

"I'm here now, Cloud. I wont let him hurt you." his eyes narrowed as he found himself near snarling, "never again."

"Four years passed until you escaped." Aeris continued, watching her boyfriend cling to the fifteen year old Cloud, "when you did, Cloud had mako poisoning and was in comatose. You protected him…" she had a tear running down her cheek, "ShinRa had their army hunt you down and kill you. Cloud survived, carried on without you, but he absorbed your memories, became you…"

Zack had tears pouring from his eyes. This was too much. Far, far too much.

"How do you know this, Aeris? How can you possibly know this?" he turned his radiating blue eyes to the cetra, pain wracking through his mortal body.

"Because I was there." she whispered, Cloud suddenly jolting in Zack's arms. Zack held him as Cloud let out a cough, followed by a soft moan as the suffering he had held within him began to flow out of him.

"So…after I died...Sephiroth?"

"Cloud and the remainders of the group AVALANCHE took on Sephiroth and ShinRa, and managed to save the world." Aeris smiled slightly, tilting her head.

"But…you died… how-?"

"My psychical body was destroyed, but as a cetra, it takes a much, much more powerful force to remove my soul from existence."

Zack turned to Cloud as his cold, hardened glare emerged, moving his legs out of the way, he bit his lower lip.

"I couldn't… couldn't save them. Not you, not Aeris…" tears swelled from his reddening eyes as Cloud's resolve slowly shattered, "Barret, Vincent, Cait Sith, Yuffie, Nanaki, Cid, Tifa…" his entire body was shaking violently. Zack held him tighter, burying the blonde's face into his chest.

Zack was silent. He turned back to Aeris, who was holding a flower in her trembling hands.

"And Angeal? Genesis?"

"They did not make it. You defeated Angeal in one final battle for his honour, while Genesis degraded alone beneath the slums of Midgar, until he was nothing but dust and ash..."

Zack swallowed. He had killed Angeal? He had been the cause of his mentor's death? His heart ripped to pieces within his chest a dozen times over as he pictured Angeal's cold, pale, bloodied face, his sword worn and rusted beneath the frozen rain.

"As Sephiroth could not be absorbed into the lifestream due to the Jenova cells inside him. He came back, again and again, and again…" she closed her eyes, allowing the tears to drip onto the petals in her fingers, "eventually, Jenova infected the planet itself, they all died…"

Cloud was not motionless, regaining his composure in Zack's arms. Zack felt the warm wetness on his shirt and knew it was Cloud's tears, so stroked his hand through the blonde spikes, turning his tired eyes to the cetra.

"Then...how...how are you both here?"

"I am a cetra, Zack. My spirit can move through the lifestream to any of the other seven worlds. While my body was killed in Cloud's world, my spirit was transported here, to aid Cloud in his mission to save this planet. Cloud's spirit was sent here after one of our friends prayed to the planet to give him a second chance. To save this world. We both kept our memories, and most likely many of our friends kept their's too, but will need to meet us before those memories are restored."

"Wait." Zack blinked, suddenly his lips parted and a frown buried upon his features, "you're saying that will all happen here, too?"

"Yes. That is why Cloud was sent. To be the saviour of this world, where he failed in the last." Aeris confirmed as Cloud looked back up to her. She smiled, "I know he can do it. I know he can."

Cloud managed to find the strength to pull away from the SOLDIER, staring straight into Aeris' eyes.

"I wont fail, Aeris."

"Cloud, even if you do, you will just be sent to another planet." the cetra replied, Cloud's eyes widening.

"What? How-?"

"The lifestream made you a cetra, Cloud."

The blonde fell back into Zack's arms as he felt his body go limp. Zack held him and stared at Aeris in disbelief.

"The lifestream can do that?" when Aeris simply nodded, he was taken aback, "so the cetra are..?"

"Those made into cetra by the lifestream are favourites of the planets, champions chosen to protect the lifestream from enemies such as Jenova." Aeris informed. She noticed Cloud was no longer concentrating at them anymore, staring at the floor as he lay numb in the second class' arms. "When we die, we are reborn again and again, on different planets, for the sole purpose to serve the lifestream."

"It's not fair…" Cloud breathed, then clutched his fingers into Zack's arm, holding onto him as he felt faint, "why me…?"

"Because the lifestream chose you to be it's new saviour."

"I don't want to, Aeris, damnit I don't want to!" Cloud shot up, his eyes blazing, "I don't want to be a cetra! I don't want to keep fighting! I'm tired of it! Why wont the lifestream just let me die?!"

"The lifestream does not care for your feelings, Cloud." Aeris sighed, running her hands over her arms as she shivered in the cold of the night, "it is not compassionate, not hateful, not conscious. It does this only to make sure it lives on. We are simply weapons, nothing more. The lifestream cares not how many times we die, we are simply reborn time and time again in new bodies on either the same world or another. Our fates deem us to serve the lifestream for the rest of eternity."

"I don't want this." Cloud shook his head repeatedly, clinging to the raven head, "I...just wanted it all to end..."

"You can't change it. I'm...I'm sorry."

Zack turned to Aeris, who herself was falling apart, realising this all seemed terribly cruel to the blonde cadet.

"What about Genesis, and Angeal? Do they remember? Does Sephiroth-?" Cloud shook in his arms upon mention of the general's name and Zack stopped his sentence abruptly. Aeris noticed how Zack had said Angeal's name, swallowing back the bile in his throat, still taking in the fact that he had been the one to kill his mentor in Cloud's former world.

"No. They don't remember. They wont remember, either. Telling them would serve no purpose to the lifestream." Aeris tilted her head, "I'm sure they wouldn't be as understanding as you, either, even if you did try to convince them."

"This is madness." Cloud muttered bitterly in the SOLDIER'S embrace.

"If Cloud is a cetra, Hojo will find out." Zack shook his head, "it's too dangerous for him to stay in the facility. You both have to go, get out of here."

"No!" Cloud clenched his grip on Zack's arm and sat up, confronting Zack, fuelled with a sudden urge, "I wont let them kill you again! This time, I'll be the one to protect you!"

Zack stared back at those old, hurt sapphire eyes and sighed. He couldn't force Cloud to leave SOLDIER. Not now that he was given another chance to help them all. The raven haired man noticed Aeris watching them curiously, holding a thumb to her lower lip. Cloud did not tear his optics away from Zack until the SOLDIER grabbed him in a headlock and pushed him to the floor, knuckling his head.

"I already told you I wont die! I'm too good to get killed!" Cloud's soft laughter broke the silence as the man pinned him to the floor, and as Cloud twisted to try and escape, he landed on his back, crushing a good amount of Aeris' flowers. Zack held him down by his wrists, clambering onto Cloud's lap so he could not get away. He grinned as Cloud smiled up at him, eyes beginning to fill with hope again.

"Ahem."

Zack turned to find Aeris with an eyebrow raised, gesturing to the broken flower stalks all around them. Zack and Cloud muffled their apologies before Cloud got up to his feet, ready for orders from the second class. Zack also stood and turned to talk to the blonde when Aeris coughed again.

"Zack, could I talk to you?"

Cloud seemed to get the picture and started to walk towards the doorway, the floorboards creaking under his boots as he made his way outside to wait. Zack turned to find Aeris smiling at him, but with tears in her eyes.

"Aeris?" he knelt down onto the flowers once more, running his hand over her cheek, "Aeris, it's ok. I wont let them hurt him again."

"Zack, I know you love him."

The second class was silent as Aeris planted a small kiss on his forehead. She looked away to the side, Zack's cheeks flushing red as he repeated what she said in his head over and over.

"I…Aeris-" he stuttered, his tongue becoming caught in his own mouth.

"It's ok, Zack. I understand." the cetra wiped a tear away from her cheek as it broke the barriers of her eyes, the clear liquid running down her pale, beautiful skin.

"Aeris…" Zack's eyes softened and he pulled the girl into a tight hug. She slid her arms around his back and held him, the two embracing for one last time as lovers. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"It's ok, Zack. You've both been given a second chance at being happy. Please, make his life in this world worth the pain…"

"Aeris, I...I don't know how I feel for Cloud, I really don't... I...I think..." _do I love Cloud_? Zack wondered. He had loved Aeris unlike any girl he had met before, but there was something inside his heart that was so powerful, so irreplaceable when it came to Cloud...

"Don't hurt him." Aeris whispered into the man's ear, as she loosened her grip around his chest. Zack pulled away from her as she stood up, beginning to walk away, she stopped, a small sob escaping her.

Zack got to his feet and approached her as she turned back to face him. He smiled softly and ran his hand across her cheek, catching another tear as it glided down. Even while crying, Aeris was still as beautiful as a goddess. Zack kissed her on the forehead, gently stroking her hair with his other hand.

"I wont. I promise."

_AN ;; Ugh, this chapter is so short. Anyway, poor Aeris. She's not some annoying sob like you get in some animes and I love her for that. She understands Zack has deep feelings for Cloud, which are even more apparent in this world than they were in the last one. I don't like writing weak female characters, like a lot of stories have on here just to make them seem annoying or uninteresting, to focus more on the YAOI couples. No, all the girls I write will be exactly as they were in Final Fantasy 7, from the always loving, caring Aeris, to the powerful, passionate Tifa._

_Do you agree with my decision to make Cloud a cetra? Drop me a review with your thoughts :)_


	15. Chapter 15

_AN ;; I have so many regular followers/reviewers, I love it c: thank you all for the delightful reviews ^^ if anyone wants something or someone in particular to happen/occur in the story, you can drop me a private message and I'll have a read and probably discuss various outcomes with you, as this story is very much in progress and has no planned out ending just yet._

_Again, the pairings are Sephiroth x Cloud, Angeal x Genesis, and Cloud x Zack. There will be no threesomes going on and Zack wont be going anywhere near Sephiroth in /that/ way. However Genesis is going to continue being a little minx and perv on everyone and everything with a pulse so there'll still be some hilarious situations with that._

_Also, does anyone think the song 'Epiphany' in Sweeney Todd really sounds like something Genesis would sing? I always picture the characters with certain songs.. anyhow-_

_Back to having TURKS on the scene because I adore Reno. He's mine, ya hear? Mine!_

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

Monday began with little entertainment for one Genesis Rhapsodos. He had strolled through the hallways specifically at six am on the search for one even more specific blonde cadet and found him nowhere to be found. Amused by this game of cat and mouse, Genesis had near ransacked the facility on the search for the cadet but he still managed to allude the crimson commander. Genesis figured he'd try his luck in the cadet dormitories and managed to terrify the E and F dorm cadets into hiding in the showering rooms. When he made his way into there after them the entire facility was amuck with naked cadets fleeing in terror of the perverted man.

Genesis had not laughed so hard in many months as he did then. He turned away and made his way past horrified ShinRa employees and back up the stairs, then took the elevator to one very unique man's office. Making his way past numerous plant pots, the commander decided to leave them alive for now, figuring he'd need all the fire he had if he was going to pull this off. He knocked on the metal door and waited until it slid open.

Sephiroth looked up from his paperwork and exhaled sharply. He was sat on the black leather chair wearing a sleek white work shirt which Genesis had always found simply divine, although preferring the general to be in his full battle armour, draped head to toe in the blood of Wutaian warriors. Sephiroth's hair was just crisp and clean as the shirt he wore, glistening beneath the sunlight radiating in from the windows behind his desk.

"What do you want, Genesis?" the General began as he began to arrange the paperwork on his desk.

Not before Genesis noticed the file of one particular cadet on the table.

The crimson commander snatched the paperwork with ease, Sephiroth giving him a cold glare as he did so. Genesis noticed that in the file he had given the general more information had been written down at the sides, along with what seemed like… calculations? He tilted his head to the side, giving Sephiroth a bemused look.

"Do you really need to calculate sex positions on the cadet files, General?" the red head had that feral smirk across his lips as he sat down on the edge of the desk, crossing his legs over one another. "May I add my own touch to them?"

"Those calculations are important, Genesis." the silver haired man commented, leaning back on his chair slightly as the commander tried to understand the scribbling and numbers listed to the side of the paper sheets.

"Seriously Seph. I can just give you one of my DVDs if you're this confused."

"What I have written is not sexual, Genesis."

Genesis pouted, no longer interested in them. He held the paperwork over his shoulder and allowed Sephiroth to take them back, looking over them himself.

"At least draw a moustache on his picture. You are so boring." the commander muttered as he turned to face the General, who seemed to be figuring out the calculations. His eyes running from left to right across the pages, Sephiroth made no facial expressions as he replied.

"And you are immature."

"I'm hurt." Genesis raised an eyebrow as Sephiroth began to pay no heed to him, "hey, I'm still here."

"Are you?"

"Ugh!" Genesis threw himself to his feet and began to pace the office, noticing the plant in the corner. He smirked to himself as he felt the flames tingling through his fingers.

"You are not setting fire to the plant."

Genesis scowled. Sephiroth was such a mood killer. The crimson commander turned back to him, putting on his best grin.

"My friend, your desire, is the bringer of life, the gift of the Goddess."

Sephiroth looked up at him, entirely reserved in himself. He made no response as Genesis rolled his eyes and exhaled loudly.

"Seriously?" he leapt back onto the desk, nearly sliding across the metal and onto Sephiroth's crotch, "let's talk love, General."

Said General simply continued to stare at Genesis as though he was missing something important. Genesis kept an eyebrow raised. The two stared at one another, saying nothing, Sephiroth's lime green eyes still while Genesis' were softening from the need to blink. He eventually broke the contact, closing his eyes and growling.

"Cadet Cloud Strife. Do. You. Like. Him?"

"I do not know him. I have no opinion of him."

"You don't need to know him! Is he fuckable or not?!" Genesis was at the end of his leash now. He was sick of trying to break some emotion out of the stoic General. He may be some kind of freak, but he was still human. And to be so solemn all the freaking time riled the crimson commander's nerves.

"I do not wish to sleep with a cadet."

"Not sleep! Fuck! There's a big difference!"

"…Is this all you came for?"

"You are unbearable." Genesis groaned and leaned back onto the desk, scattering paperwork across the floor as he did so. Sephiroth did not make a move to scold the commander, enjoying the moment of peace until a loud knock on the door beckoned the silence to a close.

"Enter." Sephiroth stated simply, loud enough for the cadets outside the doorway to hear.

Corporeal Riley dragged the cadets into the room, who were visibly shaking at the idea of being confronted by the General. As soon as they locked eyes upon the silver hair they were absolutely terrified. Genesis scowled at their stench, the stink of human waste filling the room up. Corporeal Riley had a wooden peg on his nostrils to block his sense of smell as he stood to the side of the four cadets.

"Sir, the TURKS found these wandering the sewer works, lost, sir." Riley informed, for although he himself was intimidated by the General, the sight of Genesis sprawled across the desk gave him enough confidence to report without stuttering, "apparently after cadet Strife managed to use the network to cut off an hour of walking, these four thought they could do the same. They were nearly attacked by monsters if civilians above had not reported the sound of screams to the appropriate authorities, sir."

Genesis had a playful grin on his lips as he poked Sephiroth in the side. The General narrowed his eyes and stood, approaching the cadets who stood shaking in their boots. Genesis sat up as Riley watched the interaction between the General and the waste covered boys.

"And how did Strife know his way around the sewers?" Sephiroth questioned, turning his gaze to the Corporeal, unaffected by the stench coming off the cadets.

"Sir, apparently cadet Strife was assisted by the TURK Reno, sir." Riley replied, ignoring the leering coming from Genesis as he watched the scene. He half expected the crimson commander to pull out a box of popcorn from under the desk and start munching away as he watched.

"Strife knows the TURKS…?" Sephiroth glanced back at Genesis, who simply purred.

"I already told you about that." he shrugged, "Strife arrived to our spar stinking of piss. Fair went and got him clean clothes before we began training."

"You did not mention TURKS being involved." Sephiroth commented, realising one of the cadets in front of him was about to collapse. He simply narrowed his stare on the boy, feline slit pupils becoming needles of black within his eyes. The pale cadet locked onto his eyes and fell backwards, landing with a thud.

Genesis began to laugh at this but was silenced when Sephiroth held up one hand.

"Immediate dismissal from the SOLDIER programme." was all he stated, before turning and making his way back to his chair. Corporeal Riley nodded quickly and ordered the three conscious cadets to help their cohort to his feet and drag him from the room.

The crimson commander looked Sephiroth up and down, a quiet sigh escaping him.

"You're a cruel man, Sephiroth."

* * *

Sliding the wooden sword across the floor, Cloud rushed forward and slashed upward, colliding his sword with Kain's and sending the brute grunting backward. Kain grinned, swinging the weapon in his hand before racing to meet Cloud's next strike. They sparred repeatedly until the teacher whistled for them to cease battle. Long groans came out from the surrounding forty cadets as they shrugged and stretched, moving to drop their swords back into the racks they had taken them from. Cloud smiled slightly as Kain landed a heavy pat against his back, chuckling.

"You're not half bad, Strife." a compliment from his old bully? Well that was unexpected. Cloud followed him to the racks to put the 'toothpick' back with the others, noticing Rob watching him with a glare of utter distaste and hate. Cloud ignored him, walking past the other cadets as he left the room, Kain following him through the hallways as they passed the third class training rooms.

"What're your plans for the rest of the day?" Kain questioned, stretching as he started to walk beside the shorter cadet.

"There's a training room booked for the cadets from four till eight. I need to catch up." the blonde replied, "I have been out of classes since Tuesday."

"Shit dude. You got your ass kicked by Commander Rhapsodos. That must suck." Kain grunted his response, Cloud staying silent, knowing full well who was the victor of that battle. Genesis was just too arrogant to admit otherwise and so was telling people he had pummelled Cloud into a bloody pulp. However no one mentioned the actual wounds Cloud had suffered, leaving it down to a few scratches which had already healed. If the science department started sniffing around him he was not going to be in for an easy ride.

That was not the only event which had occurred since his dinner with the commanders. Zack had vanished off the map, completely disappearing from Cloud's life in the past three days. Sure, it had only been three days, but Zack had at one point been calling and texting him like mad. Now he had not received a single phone call from the raven haired SOLDIER throughout the entire weekend. Cloud was concerned. Had someone heard them talking with Aeris, and decided to get Zack out of the way? Or did Zack decide they were both crazy and go AWOL on them all?

"Come get pissed."

Cloud looked up at Kain who stood grinning like your typical high school meathead, holding a bag of gil coins in his hand.

"Where did you get-"

"Shh, dude." Kain held a hand over Cloud's mouth to silence him, "if Riley hears us, he'll drag us to the general's office. Four guys just got pulled up there for trying to copy your sewer tactics."

Cloud blinked. People were copying him? He hadn't even known about the route to all the sectors before bumping into the TURK. He noticed Kain was not going to take no for an answer and sighed.

"Fine. But only one hour."

"Yes! Dude, I know this amazing bar. It's a bit run down but trust me there's some good shit there." Kain slammed an arm around Cloud's shoulders and started dragging him through the corridors. Cloud stumbled on his feet as the grunt of a cadet ignored his inability to keep up and decided to half carry him through the ShinRa facility hallways.

They made their way out of the training room area and into the elevator, which took them to the ground floor of the main facility. However as Kain continued to swoop Cloud away like a hawk with a captured mouse, they noticed the dishevelled red hair flickering just beyond the doorway.

"Shit, that's a TURK." Kain muttered as he put Cloud back down onto his boots, the blonde brushing his legs down as he readjusted to having weight on his feet.

Cloud noticed the usually clean dark blue suit of the TURK was covered in dirt, and what was none other than sewage material. He groaned audibly, not wanting to be reminded of his trip through the sewers. The TURK stood facing away from them, but already Cloud could tell who it was. And boy, he seemed piss.

"What the hell kind of SOLDIERS are they training here, yo?!" Reno snapped at the large bald man beside him, shaking his arms down of the brown murk, "fucking idiots!"

Cloud felt a small laugh escaping him but did not register his own amusement. He felt…happy. Despite Zack disappearing, which Cloud assumed was the raven head on a mission for ShinRa, he had never felt so… appeased. It felt… good.

Reno heard his chuckle, Cloud wondering if his ears had actually twitched or if his eyes were playing with him, as the TURK turned and noticed him, immediately protruding his tongue with a large smirk across his lips.

"Yo, Cloud!"

Kain stood firmly in place as Reno entered the facility through the doorway, ignoring the protests coming from ShinRa employees as he brought the stench with him.

"You know this guy?!" he hissed, hiding the bag of gil in his trouser pocket as the TURK sauntered towards them.

"Somewhat." Cloud murmured when Reno stopped in front of them, hands on his hips.

"So where y'all going?" he checked the clock above them, grinning, "aren't you two supposed to be training at this time?"

"We got the afternoon off." Cloud replied, Kain nodding and repeating 'yup' as Reno looked him up and down.

"Jeez Cloud. I thought you had taste." Reno wiped away murk from his goggles and noticed the bulge in the side of Kain's trousers, "so, what've you got there, SOLDIER boy?"

Kain was frozen in place. Cloud felt sorry for him, he really did. Had he ever encountered a TURK during his past life before he left ShinRa he would have acted in the same way. Reno, despite his brash friendliness, was quite terrifying. Reno continued to examine the pocket from a foot away and sniggered.

"You gonna tell me what that is, Cloud?" he turned those dark, piercing blue eyes towards the blonde, that smirk never leaving his lips.

"Reno. What I'm about to tell you is very important. You can't repeat this to anyone." Cloud began, looking around them, he leaned closer to the TURK, "what my friend here has in his pocket is extremely dangerous. If it gets in the wrong hands…"

Reno nodded, no longer grinning. His lips were parted and eyes brimming with curiosity, he gagged for Cloud to tell him more. Kain gave the blonde cadet a look of bewilderment as Cloud gestured his finger for Reno to come closer. When he was leaning his ear into Cloud's lips, the cadet replied.

"In his pocket is the secret to life itself."

Kain was dumbstruck. Reno was silent. Cloud was grinning widely. Within moments he and Reno burst into laughter. Kain had no idea what Cloud was smoking, but he had to get some. For anyone to have the balls to joke around with a TURK like that was remarkable, only someone truly insane would risk their life like that. Reno was wiping tears of joy from his eyes, still laughing as the other TURK approached.

"Rude, I love this guy. I seriously love him." Reno gasped for air as he leaned over, hands on his knees, gasping for air. Rude raised an eyebrow, his eyes still hidden under black tinted sunglasses. Reno then waved to his companion, "dude. I'll talk to you later. This is just beautiful. Just beautiful." Rude kept his eyebrow raised as he walked past, also covered in the thick muck. Cloud stepped to the side to allow him to pass, nodding once. Rude nodded back, a mutual respect being formed between the two. Kain continued to stare on in absolute shock at the situation he had been pulled into.

After a few minutes, Reno was back to his cocky self, though still kept the wide grin.

"Right. Where are you two actually going, yo?"

"Out for a drink. Want to come?"

Kain gawped at Cloud. Had he seriously just invited a TURK out to the bar with them? This had to be some seriously fucked up dream. It was just not possible.

"Sure. I need a drink after the day I've had." Reno nodded in agreement as Cloud began to walk forward.

Cloud turned to notice if Kain was keeping up.

"Yo! You coming or what?" Reno was the one to shout Kain over.

Kain blinked rapidly then nodded, gruffly jogging up to them as he tried to act brave. Cloud and Reno smiled to each other, both being shorter than the considerably tall cadet between them.

The three made their way towards the sector eight train and boarded, then got off at the sector seven platform five minutes later. Kain leading the way, Cloud suddenly realised where they were. He stared up at the bar which was fondly named 'Seventh Heaven', not quite believing his luck. Now he knew for sure that Tifa would be here at some point in the future, though he did not know who owned the bar at this current time. A few stray dogs scratched away at the door, begging for food before running away, yelping loudly as Kain growled at them. Reno followed behind Cloud as they approached, then Kain knocked on the door.

"Oi, anybody home?!"

"Get lost!"

"It's Kain you wankers! Let him in!"

The door was pushed open, a thick line of smoke escaping from the sudden contact with the outside world. A short, fat man stood at the doorway, waving his arm in. Kain walked in but when Cloud and the TURK approached their paths were blocked.

"Nah, man. They're with me." Kain confirmed, Cloud nodding as the man looked him up and down. Upon noticing Reno however, he grumbled.

"This guy stinks of shit!"

"Hey, I've had a tough day, yo." Reno complained, holding his arms in the air. The man grunted lowly before allowing them to pass.

Cloud and Reno followed Kain through the tightly cramped bar, to which sat around thirty elderly men, all smoking pipes and downing whiskey in short clear glasses. Kain lead them to the corner of the dark bar to where a table with chairs was left empty, the men preferring to sit on the stools at the bar or by the television watching the chocobo races. Cloud sat down and nearly sunk into one of the dark green chairs, having to shift quite a bit to get any comfort. Reno took a seat next to him, taking off his black sweat jacket and drooping it over the back of the chair. Kain was the last to sit, after ordering from the bar. He made his way over to them, clearly in his element, before taking a seat.

"So, Cloud. Where ya from?"

Cloud smiled slightly as the three drinks were handed to them, being straight whiskey. He had never been fond of alcohol in his past life, despite Cid's protests to get him to join him at any bar the Highwind would arrive at, but then again with the mako in his system he shouldn't have anything to worry about.

"Nibelheim." he replied, downing the drink in one thirsty gulp. Reno sat stirring the glass in his hands with a finger, before running his tongue over said finger.

"Nibelheim? Sounds like a shit hole." Kain muttered as he downed the drink also, then barked at the bar tender to bring them the bottle.

"Well, where are you from?" Cloud questioned, raising an eyebrow at the cadet's response.

"North Corel." he replied, grabbing the bottle from the man and beginning to fill up their glasses as Reno sniggered.

"Been there yo. It's an actual shit hole."

Cloud chuckled as Kain glared at him.

"Yeah? Well where are you from, TURK?"

"Disclosed information, cadet. If you had any brains, you would know that." Reno replied just as hostile, though the feral smirk never left his lips.

After around an hour of them sitting there, Kain was drunk, having downed a whole bottle to himself. Cloud was on his third glass, while Reno, despite having drunk equally as much as the cadet, was none the less phased, clearly used to the drink.

"So you got a girlfriend, Cloud?" Reno mused as he stirred the whiskey with his finger, running it up and down his tongue in a feline like fashion.

"No."

"Boyfriend?"

"Do I look gay?"

"Dunno yo. With that hair one could question." Cloud rolled his eyes at Reno's response. He had never had a girlfriend, nor a boyfriend. He had been kissed before, mostly when he was trying to live a normal life with Tifa. However he had never been in love, as one would say.

"You a virgin?"

Cloud spluttered on his drink as Kain put this question on the table, Reno raising an eyebrow then laughing profusely.

"Aha! He totally is!"

"Shut up." Cloud was not in the mood for this. He had began to get a sickly feeling in his stomach, along with a migraine from all the smoke and the two's ridiculous banter.

"Yeah! Shut up TURK!" Kain nearly spilled his drink over Reno's shirt as he leaned forward to swipe at his head.

"Fuck you, SOLDIER boy!"

"You TURKS are nothing but ShinRa assassins." Kain muttered, downing another glass. Boy this guy could not hold his drink.

Cloud slid a hand through his hair as he struggled to get a long breath in the smoke filled bar.

"Comes with the job description, yo. SOLDIERS are just as bad." Reno replied as he filled up a glass. Kain growled at the reply.

"Fuck you. SOLDIERS are heroes."

"SOLDIERS kill just as many people as we do, only difference is, they do it upfront without the niceties." Reno jeered as Cloud managed to down another glass, feeling slightly sick from the lack of air.

"I think I'm gonna go get a breath of air…" he mumbled, getting to his feet.

Reno and Kain did not move to stop him as they continued to argue.

"Well we've got Sephiroth! What've you got? Some pansy in a suit!"

"Are you serious? Tseng could destroy your general in a fight!" Reno's laughter echoed through the bar as Cloud made his way outside, then found himself throwing up on the sidewalk. Ok, so it turned out cetras could most definitely not handle their drink. He wiped his mouth, coughing a little as he heard the low growling coming from the alley across from where he sat kneeling in his own failure.

Cloud pulled himself to his feet, approaching the sound, which was soon replaced with the sharp cry of a terrified boy. Cloud walked through the damp, deserted alleyway, making his way past soggy cardboard boxes and shattered glass injections beneath his boots. He stopped when he saw those lime green eyes glowering at him from the shadows, the nibel wolf drawing it's lips back to reveal rows upon rows of needle like fangs, oozing with black liquid, while nearby a terrified Hiko lay on his bleeding side in the shadows.

_AN ;; Ooh, looks like Cloud found Hiko. Unfortunately, not in the best of circumstances. Unarmed, Cloud's got the option of fighting or fleeing. Which will he choose?_


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

"Cloud! Help me! Please!" the Wutaian cadet begged, staring at Cloud with the same lime green, feline optics that the beast before them bore.

The wolf drew back it's lips into a hideous snarl, body twitching as green foam ran from it's twisted jaws, black liquid spilling out through the yellowed canines as the beast stood a step closer to Cloud. It's claws clattering upon the concrete, the infected Nibel wolf released a long, high pitched hiss from it's lungs, the ribs protruding it's sides shifting grotesquely as the Jenova cells continued to mutate the creature.

"Cloud! Please! Dear Gaia…" Hiko screamed again when the wolf turned it's jaws to him, snapping wildly.

"Oi!"

Tilting it's head slightly, the rabid canine ran it's tongue over bloodied lips as it heard Cloud's shout. The blonde cadet was unarmed other than his fists, but from the size and state of the large bite on Hiko's side which was bleeding profusely, he knew he wouldn't be able to fight the monster. He took a step back, expecting the creature to follow, but instead when Hiko began whining in agony from his wound the wolf turned back to hiss at the Wutaian instead. Cloud narrowed his eyes and slammed his hands together in a loud clap.

"Oi! Don't you dare ignore me!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, causing the creature to shake it's head and turn back to him, hissing lowly. Cloud began to back away again, this time followed by the maddened beast, jaws lopped open and spilling the black liquid in it's trail. He kept his stare on the creature's own, refusing to break eye contact. If he broke eye contact the canine would charge. He had to get out into the open before that could happen. He continued to back away, knocking over an empty metal can. The clattering of the garbage caused the monster to shake it's head in pain, the noise ringing in it's brain. Cloud slowed when he came to the widened street away from the alleyway, the wolf vanishing in the darkness as he stood beneath the artificial light radiating from the entrance of the Seventh Heaven. He contemplated turning and running into the building to get Reno, but the wolf would simply tear open the thirty or so civilians inside, and most likely Kain. As Cloud stood waiting, the infected beast began to emerge from the shadows, first those lime green eyes peering through the blackness at the blonde cadet, then followed by a gruesomely mutated snout and jaws. The beast stopped it's approach when it realised Cloud was no longer backing away, inhaling his cetra scent.

Cloud ran.

He leapt over the beast as it rushed towards him, dashing through the sector six street and hoping to Gaia there were no civilians out. He did not need to turn to know if the monster was still following, the noise it was making both clattering it's heavy claws against the concrete and snarling as it snapped at his legs, only to skid to a halt to throw up more of the sickly bile before rushing after him, made it clear to Cloud he was not going to get out of this by just running. He rushed towards a lamp post and grabbed onto it, swinging around and whacking the wolf in it's chest with his legs. The wolf fell back and landed on it's side, leaving a trail of oil black liquid in it's trail before it yanked itself back onto it's paws and rushed after Cloud again. Cloud knew this tactic would not work for long. He couldn't keep running, he had to find some kind of weapon. This wolf was infected with Jenova cells, the very same that had turned the civilians of his old world into these monstrous, living dead creatures. His blonde hair whipping wildly in the wind, he was grateful for the metal fence he ran into in one of the alleyways. Climbing up it with ease, his boot was snagged by the wolf as it rushed up after him. Claws scratching against the wire, Cloud shook his foot but the beast was not letting go. He used his other foot and kicked it hard in the muzzle, leaving the monster whimpering for but a moment before it started to snarl yet again. Cloud leapt off the railing and landed on the opposite side, the wolf snarling and hissing wildly behind the metal chains. However, his relief was short lasted, as the wolf bit it's jaws down onto the chains and slowly began to tear the metal open. Cloud watched as it began to make itself a crawl space through the fence, pushing it's body through. It cared not that it's flesh was being torn by the sharpened metal it had chewed through, blood spilling out down it's sides and stomach as the wolf snarled and twisted in agony, desperate to fill it's stomach with the cadet's flesh.

Cloud snarled himself. If he had a weapon he could have stabbed the creature through the skull right then and there. He turned and looked for something to end the beast with but found nothing in the alleyway of any use. Searching the ground, his heart beating in his ears, Cloud heard the snarl behind him. Slowly turning his head, he found that the hole in the fence was now fully torn through, but the wolf nowhere to be seen. He raised slowly from the ground, approaching the torn chain link fence. On the ground a tag was lying, torn and chewed, with the name 'Jenova Project W' scrawled on with blue biro. Cloud felt rage build in him. ShinRa had created the virus that destroyed his world, took his friends from him, the virus which, had it never been created, made Cloud into the lifestream's weapon to use as it pleased.

Upon hearing the clattering of claws on the ground, Cloud whipped round. He was thrown onto his back as the beast lunged onto him, holding him down, snapping and snarling as he used his arms to hold it by the throat. He tried to strangle it, but the flesh was hardened around it's neck from where a collar had been and so this was impossible. Cloud twisted his head from side to side to avoid the jaws rushing toward him, which dug into the concrete and tore through with those needle like fangs. He kicked his knee up into the beast's waist, causing the wolf to stumble enough for Cloud to pull away from under it, readying his fists to fight. A monstrous, low hiss escaping the jaws of the infected nibel wolf, it rushed forward once again. Cloud leapt into the air and left the beast to slam head first into the wall, the sound of crunching bone making him feel physically sick. He turned to face the creature, who stood motionless facing away.

When it turned those hideous jaws, Cloud wished he'd never jumped.

Long tentacles grew from the cracked skull of the creature, lashing above it's head with the sickly black liquid running down them. A few eyes appeared in the newly grown flesh, the mutated eyes of Jenova staring back at him. Cloud stood a step to the side as the beast began to circle him, it's head splitting apart and becoming nothing but the serpent like limbs squirming within the beast's brain. The skin falling away from it's jaws to leave pure muscle and bone, the wolf let out a no longer canine snarl, now completely absorbed by the Jenova virus. The blonde cadet now started to take more steps back, knowing he was not going to be able to beat the monster without a weapon.

It began to divide, the tentacles causing the beast to split in half and turn into two separate creatures, both snarling and scratching madly away at the concrete beneath them. Cloud found himself panting, the blood rushing through him.

He was going to die.

Suddenly the broadsword landed in front of him, sliding across the ground with a metallic hiss. The two creatures began to snap at each other, accusing the other of causing the horrific sound which left them writhing in agony. Cloud grabbed the sword and readied for battle, looking around to see who had thrown him the weapon. He was answered when the raven haired SOLDIER rushed forward behind the creatures, slashing his weapon downward into the first of the beasts.

"Zack!" Cloud's eyes widened as the sword began to be ensnared by the tentacles, Zack grimacing as he kicked into the beast and pulled his blade away, leaping back.

"Cloud! Can you handle this?!" the second class demanded in a shout as the two monsters turned, one facing the blonde cadet, the other that Zack had attacked approaching him, leaving a trail of sickly black liquid beneath it.

"Of course I can." Cloud replied calmly, now feeling much stronger with a sword in his hands. The tentacles getting closer to him, he hacked through them with ease. The beast fell back and hissed, but as the fallen tentacles began to melt away into green foam, the tentacles on the beast itself simply healed, becoming larger, stronger.

Zack rushed forward and slammed the beast into the wall with his shoulder, holding it there as it sprawled, clawing at the air as it's tentacles tried to ensnare his throat. He pushed it's neck harder, trying to decapitate the snapping monster but instead receiving a face full of black liquid. His lips had luckily been shut and he backed away, spitting and wiping his face as the monster quickly regained it's balance and rushed towards him. Zack narrowed his eyes and slammed his sword downward, colliding with the creature's front paw. The wolf let out a howl of agony and fell back, examining the wound which soon began to turn into yet more tentacles. Zack let out a frustrated grunt and readied for the next attack.

The blonde cadet leapt to the side, avoiding the beast's first attack and slashing at it's side, causing black liquid to come pouring out, along with numerous indescribable guts. He ignored the stench of death and chemicals as the creature's wound began to heal with more tentacles, his back colliding with Zack's as they stood facing the circling beasts.

"Our attacks are useless!" Zack shouted, panting slightly from the battle as kept his blazing sapphire eyes on the beast before him.

"We need fire!" Cloud informed in a yell, slashing to the side and sending a line of grey power towards the beast, throwing it back a few feet.

"Fire!?"

"That way the wounds can't heal!" the blonde replied as Zack rushed forward once more, stabbing his sword into the beast's head, the tentacles trying to wrap around his arm.

"I don't have any materia on me!" Zack exclaimed as he pulled out his sword in one quick yank and slashed through the tentacles around his arm, not noticing the ones creeping up to his boots. They snagged around his legs and he was pulled onto his back, the beast snarling over him, "where the fuck is Genesis when we need him!?"

Cloud however was busy fighting off his own monster. He fell to the side as the beast rushed at him once more, nearly taking off his ear in the process as it made off with a few locks of his blonde hair. It coughed the strands of hair out, snarling and spluttering before it readied it's jaws for the next attack. Cloud turned to see Zack being overpowered and ran to his side, slashing upward and sending the monster off him. Zack wiped more of the black repugnant oil from his face and prepared for the next attack.

"What the hell are these things!?" Zack narrowed his eyes, his teeth bared as the monsters approached them at a slow pace, deliberately taunting them.

"Jenova clones, the cells weren't able to fuse correctly and made them into monsters!" Cloud explained, his sword held before his chest, "this is what the virus in my own world was like, instead those infected were people, not monsters…"

"Is there any other way to beat them?" the raven haired man slid his free hand into Cloud's hand, holding onto him as their fingers intertwined.

Cloud felt a warm sensation run through his chest, despite the horrors they stood facing. He was fighting with Zack, he was his equal. They stood together as one unit against the monsters of the world. This was how Cloud wanted his new life to be. He twisted the sword in his hands.

"If you can get them to stay in one spot, I can get the fire!" Cloud informed as Zack grunted, "they hate loud noises and sudden movement!"

Zack grinned at him, then nodded.

"We've only got one shot at this, Spiky! Let's make it count!"

"Alright!"

Zack rushed forward at the monster facing him, while Cloud used the beast aiming for him as a rock and ran over it, using it as a ramp to jump up onto the wall behind it. The beast snapped at his feet as he kicked into it's muzzle, tentacles attempting to snare around his leg, clambering up onto the building and glancing back. The monster thought for a moment to follow, but when Zack started clattering an empty can against his sword. The noise drove the wolves insane. They rushed towards him, Cloud dashing across the rooftop in search of some way of making fire. He searched desperately, but soon realised he could not find anything. It would be a sheer stroke of luck to find a box of matches or a lighter up on the middle of a rooftop in the sector seven slums. But Cloud could not let Zack down. That was when he looked down at the building beneath him.

What a stroke of fucking luck.

Zack held the two snarling beasts in his hands against the wall, his sword embedded in one of the monster's guts. They scratch and screeched at him, desperately trying to pull the skin away from his face and arms as he held them. He hoped Cloud would hurry with his search, the way the two monsters had completely soaked the ground with the black liquid was causing him to slide back, his feet slipping. Tentacles running over his muscular arms and face, Zack shook his head to get the monsters off of him and stay in place. His arms beginning to ache, the monsters tried a new tactic of trying to scratch at his waist with their back claws. He released them, falling back with his sword to avoid being scratched. He did not want to be infected by the cells whatever the hell kind of monster Jenova was. He readied his sword and slashed from side to side, tentacles flying as the monsters simply grew larger and larger until they were the size of chocobos, standing before him and drawing closer. Zack dodged a clawed arm and stabbed his sword upwards into the lower jaw of one monster, causing it to squirm beneath his blade before he pulled away to block an attack from the other.

"Zack! Get out of there!"

Zack turned to see Cloud standing on the building, his sword drawn. He frowned as he noticed Cloud's hands were empty other than the weapon. But he none the less obeyed, turning and running, leaping over the fence which the monsters were now too large to squeeze through the original hole. Zack slashed at their jaws as they attempted to chew the hole larger, waiting for Cloud.

"Now, Cloud!"

When the substance known as quartzite comes into contact with steel metal in a sharp straight, sparks are produced. It is most commonly used when one does not have a flint to use with steel. Quartz is used in the construction industry, most commonly in cement. And that just so happened to be what the building Cloud was standing on was made of. He slashed his sword across the cement, sparks flying into the air. The small, orange orbs slowly made their way towards the flammable black oil given off by the Jenova infected and landed.

The alleyway burst into flames. Roaring and burning the fires purified the concrete city below. Cloud searched for Zack in the flames, the high pitched screaming coming from the monsters causing him to feel slightly faint. He covered his ears, trying to block out the screeching as he desperately looked for the raven haired SOLDIER, but saw nothing but the newly awoken flames below. As he stared into the flames, he saw the piercing lime green eyes of one of the monsters, staring up at him. He stared back, captivated, possessed, as the flashbacks of Sephiroth standing within the flames of Nibelheim shook the very core of his body. He found himself leaning into the flames, drawn to those eyes, the whisper that echoed from the general's lips.

_I will never be a memory._

Zack grabbed the blonde cadet as he slipped from the rooftop, nearly plummeting into the flames below. He pulled him back and the two landed with a thud, Zack's arms wrapped around Cloud's waist. He held him there in his arms, panting, sweat running down his head and arms as he lay on the concrete rooftop. Cloud was motionless, seemingly in some sort of trance. He shook him in his arms.

"Cloud?" when the blonde cadet began to move slightly in his grip, Zack smiled softly, "I'm here now."

However Cloud reacted quite differently to what the raven haired second class expected. Cloud elbowed Zack hard in the ribs, leaving the man to grunt shortly in pain as he released the boy. The blonde cadet leapt to his feet, eyes narrowed.

"Where the hell have you been!?" he shook his head, glaring down at the elder, "you've been gone for three days!"

"I'm sorry… I had to get something out of my head…-" Zack's mouth was open as he tried to explain, but he didn't necessarily want to tell Cloud he was practically foaming at the mouth every time he saw him.

Cloud on the other hand was not happy with the answer.

"You couldn't have done that here!? Where the hell did you go!? Aeris has been worried sick!" his hands tightened into fists, Cloud looked away from him, "do you not give a damn what other people think, Zack? I… I thought Hojo had got you…"

Zack smiled slightly and got to his feet, placing his hands on Cloud's shoulders. The blonde cadet continued to glare at his feet until Zack used a finger to tilt his head back up to face him via his chin.

"No one's gonna get me. I just had to sort something out, ok? I'm back now." he waited until Cloud nodded, "come on, we've got to get out of here before the TURKS are crawling all over this place."

Cloud led the way back down to the streets and towards the Seventh Heaven bar, to the alleyway where the injured Wutaian cadet lay. When they entered the turn off from the street, the scent of death was heavy and thick. Cloud made his way towards the shadows where Hiko had lain, and backed away. Hiko lay dead on the ground, frothing at the mouth, the wound on his side blackened and beginning to grow tentacles. Cloud covered his mouth with one hand and fell back against the wall, Zack approaching and looking down at the corpse. He knelt down and pressed two fingers against Hiko's neck just under his jaw, searching for a pulse.

"He…he's dead…"

Zack stood back up, then looked back at Cloud, who was visibly shaking, the words barely managing to escape his lips.

"Do you think we'll find some fire around here?"

"W-what?"

"We can't let him turn, Cloud. Do you think he'd want to become one of those…monsters? The most we can do for him is burn his body so he can't come back." Zack explained, the blonde cadet going numb. His face losing all emotion, Cloud seemed to shut down. Zack frowned and lead Cloud out of the alleyway, before heading into the bar to borrow a lighter. He headed back to the corpse and dropped the lighter onto the black liquid near Hiko's body, the cadet's carcass soon becoming a pile of burning flesh and clothing. When he returned to Cloud, he found him sat silently in the now empty bar, Kain and Reno being nowhere to be found.

"I failed."

Zack turned his head to look at Cloud, holding his head in his hands, staring down at the table.

"I've failed everything."

Zack frowned and ran his hand through Cloud's hair.

"Look, there was nothing you could do. You saved him from a horrible death. He most likely just…fell asleep." Zack did not know if this was a lie or the truth, but it didn't matter. Cloud's sorrow was all he cared for now.

"If I failed him, I'll fail everyone. You, Aeris…" Cloud shook his head, eyes closed as tears started to build, "I can't let that happen again. I just can't."

Zack slid his arm down onto Cloud's shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace. Cloud was silent in his arms, Zack sighing. Even with his feelings for the cadet, he could not leave Cloud. Nothing would stop him protecting his chocobo, not even his own lust.

"You wont, because I'll be there by your side. Ok?" Zack pressed his head into Cloud's hair and kissed him gently, not noticing the bar owner grunting.

"Fucking queers."


	17. Chapter 17

_AN ;; Please understand I'm not going to throw Cloud and Sephiroth together. It just doesn't sit right with me to do that, Sephiroth has his career as ShinRa's general on the line if he just dived onto a cadet who not only does he not know likes him or not, but the fact Cloud detests the man makes this entirely impossible. It's just not fitting to do that. There has to be a story behind every relationship and this is it. Please don't get grumpy if there's no sex scenes as of yet and enjoy the story as a whole, rather than just for the porn. If you really want I can throw some scenes in with Zack having a fumble but there's nothing more than that just yet. Kay? :)_

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

Holding the dashing green orb in his hands, Cloud examined the level one fire materia. Kain was stood with an cure materia, not quite sure what he was supposed to do with it. Corporeal Riley was stood at the other end of the classroom, having instructed the cadets to go to the materia chest and take one orb each. Cloud noticed Rob attempting to use a lightning materia and electrocuting his fingers, letting out a yelp of pain before waving his arm frantically in the air to try cool it down, much to the amusement of the surrounding cadets. Kain held the orb in his hands and touched Rob's hand with a finger, the green aura running across their skin and healing up Rob's burns slightly. Rob grinned at the brute of a cadet, who simply nodded in return, the other cadets watching their interaction with curiosity. Cloud looked at the fire orb in his hand and readied to use it, a flicker of flame beginning to build between his fingers.

"Oh no you don't!"

The materia was swiped from the blonde cadet's hands as Corporeal Riley dashed over, grabbing the potentially dangerous weapon from Cloud.

"You are not permitted anywhere near the fire materia! Understand?" he shook his head and tossed the materia back into the pile, before grabbing an ice materia instead and shoving it into Cloud's hands, "at least _try_ not to turn this into the Icicle Area, would ya?"

Cloud had a small smile on his lips as Kain laughed loudly, a couple of other cadets chuckling at the clearly distressed Corporeal.

Riley himself was already sick of this year's cadets. When C dorm was not attacking each other with the toothpicks when he turned his back, fucking Cloud Strife of E dorm was setting fire to entire training rooms with level one materia. He made his way through the rows of cadets, who each in turn tried to use the materia. He didn't bother explaining how to do it to them. They had books. They could read perfectly fine, if they had passed the entrance exams. Why should he bother teaching them something they most definitely would not be using in the general army?

But Riley turned his hazel eyes towards cadet Strife. If any of these children was going to get into SOLDIER, Cloud Strife was his one and only hope. He had originally been his first bet with Reno to quit or be thrown out of the ShinRa facility for being so useless, but it appeared first impressions were not everything, as the grunt Kain Bone learned some manners, while Cloud Strife became the best of the class.

Hence why when he was told of the meeting scheduled this day during his materia class, Riley was not surprised. If anything, he'd been expecting it since Zack's mission to Kalm ended two days ago after a three day leave, though had thought the meeting would take place as soon as Zack returned. However, who was he to question the higher ups? He was just a third class Corporeal. He kicked back on his chair and relaxed, leaving the cadets to their business, pulling out a naked babe magazine to read.

Kain grinned as he gestured to the magazine Riley was reading. Cloud blushed profusely and turned his gaze back to the ice materia in his hands, feeling the chill rushing through him as snowflakes began to sparkle upon his finger tips.

"You should totally freeze Riley in place." Kain jested, nudging Cloud's shoulder, "then when the upper classes come in and find him, he'll get in so much shit."

"No, Kain." Cloud replied, noticing Rob's glare from amongst the other cadets, holding the fire materia Cloud had been forced to give up in his hands.

"Come on, it'll be brilliant." Kain begged, then followed Cloud's line of sight towards his old pawn. He frowned. "Ugh. Ignore him, he's just pissed he didn't get to stick his cock in your ass in the showers."

Cloud raised an eyebrow as he remembered that exact moment in his new history he did not wish to. He turned and began to walk away from the confrontation.

"Thanks for reminding me." he muttered, "where did you and Reno go the other day at the bar? I came back and you were gone."

Kain grinned.

"I got the TURK drunk and he showed me the route through the sewers to the eight sectors."

Cloud chuckled softly, moving back slightly, then stopped when he saw the spark of fire land by his feet. He turned his tired gaze to Rob, who continued to grin, the fire building in his hands. Cloud waited and counted to three.

One.

Two.

Three.

Rob's hand went up in flames. Cloud made no move to help him as he ran from side to side, his fingers ablaze. To Cloud's mind, he got what he deserved. Kain was laughing loudly as Corporeal Riley shot up from his chair and rushed across the training room to put out the flames with a fire hydrant. Rob hadn't even thought to drop the fire materia, which was why he was still fleeing from side to side with a burning hand. Cloud ignored the smell of burning flesh and made his way to the other side of the classroom to train, Kain following behind him as a few cadets shuffled out of the way to let them pass. Cloud eventually stopped and turned to face the much larger boy holding a cure materia in his hands.

"You know, that wont help against ice."

"…Huh?"

"Well, if I freeze you in place, how is a cure materia going to melt the ice?" Cloud explained, his reasoning to Kain going right through one ear and out the other.

"I'll smash it apart with my fists." he grinned widely, then frowned when Cloud audibly sighed.

"Look. Just dodge this. Alright?" holding the glowing materia in his hands, Cloud allowed the power to flow through him, sighing out the cold from his lungs as snow began to build upon his skin. He hurtled the snowball towards Kain, who stood there and was hit with the lump of white cold. He blinked, looking down at the snow when it flopped to the floor. Cloud exhaled. "You were meant to dodge that."

"You threw a fucking snowball at me."

"Well I could've made it an icicle." Cloud muttered his retort, the cadet laughing loudly.

"You're such a weirdo, Strife."

Cloud ignored the comment and began to create a much larger chunk of ice, to which Kain now realised he was going to have to dodge. When Cloud chucked it towards him he rolled out of the way, leaving said chunk of ice to slam into Corporeal Riley instead. Cloud's eyes widened into saucers when Riley said nothing at first, then let out a cry of disbelief.

"WHO THE FUCK THREW THAT?!"

Kain was not helping Cloud out with this. Cloud stood, straightening out his back as the Corporeal stormed towards him, eyes blazing with fury.

"Give me one, just one, good reason why I shouldn't haul you up to the General's office right now." Riley hissed, rubbing the back of his head as snow still fell out from the back of his helmet where his hair protruded. Cloud's eyes did not shrink in size as a couple of cadets began chuckling quietly at the sight of the Corporeal finally snapping.

"Sir, I…" he resolved himself to his fate, sighing, "I'm sorry, sir."

Riley raised an eyebrow beneath the shield of his helmet and looked Cloud up and down. Kain finally put a good word in for the blonde.

"Sir, the last cadets that got sent to the General got disbanded, sir."

"…Your point, Bone?"

"Sir, the General will just disband Strife. He's not really done anything that bad, sir." another cadet perked up, then it seemed the whole class other than Rob began to stare hopefully at the Corporeal. Riley glanced back at the short Cloud Strife, his eyes still narrowed. What was it about this kid that drew people to him? He exhaled sharply.

"Right you fucking pansies, seeing as you're all pissing yourselves at the thought of Strife here getting disbanded, Strife will receive two weeks kitchen duties instead."

"…What?"

Riley turned to grin at Cloud.

"That's right Strife. Two weeks of kitchen duties. Peeling potatoes, mopping the floors, serving the food…" he remembered when he had mixed up Angeal's order and shook his head, "ANYWAY. Back to work you miserable sons of bitches! I expect to see at least one of those dummies on fire by the end of today's session!"

When the Corporeal made his way back to the rest of the class, Kain sniggered, grabbing Cloud in a headlock.

"Wonder how your hair will look in a hairnet, Strife!" Kain laughed as Cloud struggled to get out of his death-lock. Their banter was short lived, though, when the Corporeal turned back to them.

"Oh, Strife. I almost forgot. Second class Zack Fair wants to see you on floor fifty one."

Fifty one? That was the head office for SOLDIER'S director, Lazard Deusericus, the illegitimate son of President ShinRa and half brother of Rufus ShinRa. But why would Zack want to meet him there? Further more, how on Gaia was he supposed to get up there without a key card?

That was when Corporeal Riley slipped one into his pocket, staring Cloud directly in the eyes from behind his shielded helmet.

"Don't be late, Strife." he murmured, the blonde staring back and then nodding. Cloud turned and began to walk out of the training room, sliding his hands into his pockets along with the ice materia. Riley would not notice one green orb missing out of a box of around sixty now, would he?

Riley, however, did notice. He said nothing as cadet Strife left the room, only pulled out his cell phone and dialled Zack's number.

"Yeah. He's on his way now. You owe me for this."

Cloud examined the key card in his hands when he made his way through the hallway, nearly bumping into a couple of ShinRa employees as they stood drinking coffee from their flasks. After murmuring an apology, he looked over the design of the card. It was pure black other than the large red diamond in the middle of the card, with no writing, instead having a strange pattern in the plastic on the other side. He noted that while the card allowed him onto floor fifty one, it did not go up any further than that. It wasn't particularly useful. He would have to find a better one to use to get around the facility. He continued walking until he reached the elevator up to the higher floors, which were guarded by third class SOLDIERS. They raised their eyebrows as he approached, then one held out his hand. Cloud blinked, handing them the card. As soon as he did this, the elevator was opened and Cloud tumbled in, then watched the plastic card being cut in half with a pair of scissors by one of the men before the glass box made it's way up. He sighed. That had certainly been useful.

When the elevator stopped, Cloud was escorted by two more third class SOLDIERS towards the head's office. One knocked and waited, Cloud standing silently between them. They glanced at each other, then down at him, then back at each other. The blonde cadet frowned. They had a point, though. What cadet was sent to meet the head of the SOLDIER programme itself? With shifty eyes, they shuffled him in once the door slid open, then closed the door behind him, not willing to go any further.

Cloud stepped into the large room, the huge table and black chairs being the first thing he noticed, along with the eight foot screen behind the desk at the front. Around four laptops were scattered in various places around the table, while one Zackary Fair sat on one of the chairs, his legs kicked back and feet on the table. Angeal Hewley stood opposite him, clearly having given up trying to get Zack to move his feet. Either that or he allowed the puppy certain advantages to which Genesis was not entitled to.

Upon noticing Cloud's entrance to the room, Zack grinned and waved.

"Hey Cloud! Lazard, he's here." Zack turned his stare expectantly to the black chair, which was facing toward the screen.

Cloud walked closer and saw what was playing on the screen. It was Zack and him fighting the monstrous Jenova wolves, swords drawn and black blood spilling around them as tentacles began to try to ensnare them. However when Cloud ran off the screen, the camera moved away from Zack, following the blonde's movements across the rooftop, then his creating sparks to set the beasts below on fire. The video finished with a smiling Cissnei at the end, winking before turning off the camera. Cloud swallowed when the chair slowly turned.

Lazard examined the cadet standing before him. Lazard was wearing a crisp white suit with his common dark blue tie, while he drummed his gloved fingers across the glass table. Pulling his glasses to a better angle, he looked Cloud up and down.

"A cadet of such build was able to take out the monster we had been searching for a month?" Lazard seemed in disbelief. He pulled back his blonde hair and leaned back into the chair, beckoning Cloud closer. "It says here in your file that you are from Nibelheim, cadet."

"Sir, yes sir." Cloud was not sure whether he should act timid or be confident. Zack was no longer staring at him, typing something onto the laptop which caused Angeal to lean forward and reply on his own keyboard. Cloud awaited the next question.

"Who taught you, cadet?" Lazard held two fingers together pointing at each other, tapping them together as he ignored the two raven haired SOLDIERS also sat at the table.

Cloud replied with ease, "Sir, our village had a man called Zangan, he taught my friend Tifa martial arts, while he taught me how to use a sword, sir." it was an easy, white lie. This way, he could be sure that the science department wouldn't find him too interesting.

Lazard's eyebrow rose.

"I understand you hid your true abilities for quite a period of time in cadet training. Would you like to tell me why?" an understandable question to ask.

"I did not want to have an unfair advantage from the rest of the cadets." Cloud then added, "sir."

Lazard seemed appeased with these answers for now. He gestured to Zack.

"Zackary here seems to think you have what it takes to be in SOLDIER. Why do you want to join, cadet?" his eyes never left Cloud's, noticing the mako in his system, "where did you get those-"

"Sir, I fell into a mako pool when I was young, sir." Cloud swiftly cut the director off, which did not go unnoticed by Angeal, "there were many openings into the cave network beneath just outside the town, I fell in and my friends pulled me out. My eyes have been like this ever since."

"…I see. And you want to join SOLDIER…why?"

Cloud turned his gaze to Zack, who was grinning at him softly. He returned the gesture, his lips pulling into a small smile.

"I want to be a hero who saves other heroes."

"I don't think Zackary will need saving anytime soon." Lazard commented with a cool response to the cadet's statement, "Strife, do you know what that was you fought two days ago?"

Cloud shook his head.

"It was an experiment which had escaped from the science department. As a SOLDIER, you're going to have to fight many more creatures just like it, some much, much worse." Lazard leaned forward onto the table slightly, his stare locked onto the blonde cadet's small form, "can you handle it?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Cloud straightened his back, clacking his feet together. "for ShinRa!"

"…For ShinRa indeed…" Lazard murmured, then sat up straight in his chair, "I am promoting you, Cloud Strife, to third class SOLDIER. If you have any questions, feel free to ask either myself or Zachary here. He will keep you on track."

Cloud did not know how to respond. His once life time ambition, to become a SOLDIER… he had done it. And not only had he made it into the programme, he had done it with Zack by his side. Zack grinned and tackled Cloud to the floor, the two laughing as Angeal and Lazard sent each other tiresome glances.

"Very well, that's quite enough from you, Zackary." Lazard shook his head, turning back to the screen, "you are both dismissed. Angeal, a word please."

Angeal stayed while Zack gave him the thumbs up, his mentor raising his brows as the ever enthusiastic puppy dragged Cloud out of the room, his arms still wrapped around him.

"I can't believe it. I'm in SOLDIER." Cloud stood staring at Zack as the raven haired man shook his head up and down.

"In three months of training! That's almost as quick as me! Though I was sixteen when I got promoted, so you're winning on that," he pulled Cloud's head towards his own and the two rested their foreheads together, both grinning like mad men. "Let's celebrate!"

Cloud was pulled along behind Zack, who continued to cheer even as the past the other third classes guarding the elevator. When they tumbled into the glass box and started to go up towards Zack and Angeal's apartment, Cloud turned and stared at his friend, desperately curious.

"But how-?"

Zack predicted his question and grinned, "I managed to convince Angeal to put a good word in." he knuckled Cloud's head as the elevator came to a halt, "I told you you'd be a SOLDIER didn't I? from the very first day we met!"

Cloud remembered that pretty well, having been in a fight in the cafeteria and spilling his tray all over Zack. That reminded him.

"Corporeal Riley gave me two weeks kitchen duty."

"Fuck that! You're in the same league as him now!" Zack laughed, Cloud keeping up with his friend who jumped out of the elevator and then began to do squats, his excitement obvious and uncontrollable. Cloud found himself laughing at the second class' display. He felt his cheeks become warmer as Zack stood up, staring down at him, an arm around his neck and shoulders, holding him close.

"I wont ever let them hurt you again." Zack promised, running his chin over the top of Cloud's head as he looked up. Third class Cloud Strife slouched into his older friend's hold, his hands slowly making their way up Zack's back as he held him.

"Zack..."

"I promise." Zack murmured, leaning his head into Cloud's, his lips dangerously close to Cloud's ear, his hot breath escaping damp lips and against Cloud's reddening skin.

Their moment was cut short when the crimson commander let out an amused chuckle from the doorway of the apartment.

"There is no hate, only joy. For you are beloved by the Goddess."

_AN ;; last chapter for today, guys. I'm dying of exhaustion (it's 2.30 AM here and I've been writing these all day x_x) please review, yes? :3_


	18. Chapter 18

_AN ;; oh, wow. So many people really like this story? It's got over 5000 views in just six days of it being up o_o holy Shiva. Anyway, *waves arms* continue reviewing and being supportive guys, it really makes this story all the more fun to write and gives me the inspiration to put out 2-5 chapters a day ~_

_Queue Genesis finally sinking his teeth into Angeal, much to the horror of one Zackary Fair._

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

"You have got to be kidding me."

Zack rubbed the back of his head, chuckling softly as Riley sat on the sofa before them, looking Cloud up and down.

"No."

"Aw come on, Riles. He's just been promoted."

"I don't care. Send him to one of the other apartments."

"Come on!"

"I said no. You're not winning this one, Zack."

"Please?" Zack put on his best puppy eyes as the Corporeal continued to shake his head.

Cloud examined the small apartment from where he stood to the side of Zack, still in his cadet uniform. The walls of the apartment were plain white other than from where numerous posters had been tacked to the wall, while a large plant sat begging for water in the corner of the living area. The kitchen was even smaller than the lounge, consisting of only one worktop with a kettle and some blackened pots. To the side of the kitchen a small hallway lead to the bedrooms, which Cloud guessed were equally, if not more so, small as the living area. Along with a small television which was turned on but muted, there were two couches, one of which the Corporeal was sat on with his legs crossed and a scowl on his face.

"I am not becoming room mates with one of my cadets." Riley was not budging.

"But he's small! He wont take up much space!" Cloud rolled his eyes at Zack's attempts. Riley simply continued to keep an eyebrow raised.

"No."

Zack tried a different approach.

"Come on Riles, you're the only third classes who've got a free room." he leapt onto the couch beside him, throwing his arms around the Corporeal's neck, "would you prefer if I moved in instead…?" he put on his best Genesis impression, a flirtatious grin making it's way across his lips.

Corporeal Riley gave Zack one look.

"Fuck no. Strife, your room is down the hall to the left." he turned expectantly to the newly promoted third class Cloud Strife, then noticed he did not have any belongings on him, "this kid seriously that poor?"

Zack blinked, then slapped himself on the head.

"Shit! I completely forgot!" in their haste to get away from the leering crimson commander, Zack had forgotten that although he had found Cloud appropriate living quarters, he'd completely missed on the fact Cloud's belongings were left abandoned in the cadet dormitories. He leapt to his feet and patted Cloud's back. "Right, I'm off to pick up your things. I'll be back soon." as he turned, Cloud perked up.

"Uhm, Zack. Can I get my things? Instead of you, I mean." he approached the second class, as Zack turned his stare down expectantly at him, "I'll need to tell Kain and the others where I'm going. They probably think I've been kicked out."

Zack hummed, then made way for Cloud to shuffle past him and out of the room. Once the blonde had disappeared out the doorway, the raven head turned to the Corporeal who was pulling off his helmet.

"Well Zack, you've certainly got strange tastes." Riley muttered as he shook his curled auburn locks, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back into the sofa.

"What do you mean?"

"You've clearly got a thing for the kid." Riley had a playful smile on his lips, "just don't be fucking him in my apartment, alright? I don't want to hear that shit."

"He's only fifteen."

"When has that stopped anyone?" Riley shrugged, noticing Zack was not denying his feelings for the ex cadet. He grinned, "just don't let Hewley find out, he'll tan your ass and then lecture you on honour for ten hours."

* * *

Cloud made his way down to the cadet dormitories, passing by groups of ShinRa employees as he did so. When he approached the elevators, the guarding third classes looked him up and down, then smiled. He nodded as they allowed him to pass without question. News of his promotion had spread fast across the facility, helped by Genesis' mad texting to near everyone with the gossip. Zack had swooped him away from the crimson commander as he tried to catch them, though why Genesis was in Zack and Angeal's apartment alone was uncommon knowledge. Cloud leaned back against the metal elevator walls as it made it's way down to the dingy cadet floors. He was one step closer to being able to save the world. The higher he levelled, the more credit he would have when he finally tried to get Rufus ShinRa on side. But for now, he had to train. It would take years to get to first class SOLDIER, but Cloud had time to spare. He wondered about the other members of AVALANCHE, of his friends. The elusive Vincent Valentine would most likely be asleep in the coffin beneath the ShinRa mansion, blissfully unaware of what Lucrecia's monstrous son had become. Yuffie Kisargi would still be a child in Wutai, the lands which ShinRa currently sent out their armies to savage time and time again until they were given the permission to drain the lifestream there as well. Nanaki would be in Cosmo Canyon with Bugenhagen, safe from Hojo's clutches for at least another few years. Cid Highwind would be in Rocket Town, most likely throwing a fit at the engineer Shera. However, he did not know where the locations of Barret Wallace or Tifa Lockhart would be approximately at this time. He assumed Tifa would still be in Nibelheim, their home town.

However, there was one person Cloud knew was in the very same building as himself.

Cait Sith's creator, Reeve Tuesti, head of ShinRa's Urban Development would very, very likely be in the ShinRa building also. However, Cloud did not know what Reeve looked like, nor where he would be able to find him in said building. The maps were deliberately convoluted to confuse any who broke into the facility, such as the terrorist group AVALANCHE, and so Cloud would have to wait, or find another way, to the Urban Development offices. After that, he knew he would be able to convince Reeve to join his side. The man had been one of ShinRa's few employees who actually cared about the civilians of Midgar and the planet to which the President did not give a damn. Cloud shook his head as the elevator came to a halt. He would have to play this cool, if he started rushing things the TURKS would most definitely notice something was up.

The blonde third class passed through the hallways until he reached the dormitories, making his way past dozens of bewildered cadets. Had they all thought he'd been thrown out? All he'd done was throw a snowball at Riley's head. But they did say that the General had thrown four cadets out for going into the sewers and nearly getting themselves killed. Cloud ignored the threatening flashbacks in his head, turning into his room and noticing Kain ransacking his bed. When the large cadet noticed him, he threw his hands into the air, holding the tonberry plushie before hiding it behind his back.

"What the-?"

"Cloud!" Kain leapt to his feet and pulled him into a tight hug, though still holding the toy in his hands, "care to explain what the fuck this thing is?" he held the green creature, the tonberry holding a lamp in one hand, a stuffed knife in the other. Cloud quickly grabbed his toy and held it in his arms, scowling.

"Why are you going through my things?" he demanded as Kain released him, backing away and beginning to look through Cloud's bunk yet again.

"The guys thought you got thrown out. I told them you got promoted and they pissed themselves laughing." Kain pulled out the rucksack filled with Cloud's clothes and a photograph of him with his mother, "I was rescuing your shit before those assholes decided to steal stuff." he handed the bag to Cloud, that grin still present on his lips. Cloud smiled slightly as he took the bag, stuffing the tonberry in with his clothes.

"Thanks…" he murmured, then was pulled into a tight hug yet again.

"I'm gonna miss you!" Kain slammed his hand into Cloud's back, nearly leaving him disabled, "don't you forget your routes now, SOLDIER! I'll be up there shortly to kick your ass into gear if you do!"

Cloud slouched his shoulders slightly. In his last world, Kain had failed the SOLDIER exams and joined the regular army, only to be turned into a Genesis clone when the crimson commander went AWOL. However the way he had turned a leaf and was putting effort into the training programme made Cloud a little more hopeful for his new friend.

"You better steal the exam answers for me too." Kain grumbled as he released Cloud, the blonde stumbling slightly as he got used to the weight on his feet again.

Cloud smiled and turned, beginning to walk out of his old dormitory room, the other cadets grinning at him.

"Well done, Cloud."

"Congrats!"

"Knew you would pull it off."

"Yeah, he's clearly getting fucked by the second classes." Rob muttered, silencing when the other cadets shot him glares from all angles, "ugh. Fine. Well fucking done, Strife."

Cloud raised an eyebrow temporarily at this but then turned, smiling to his old room mates.

"Thanks, guys…" he felt his chest well up with pride. He had finally done it. He was in SOLDIER, his lifelong ambition. He was one step closer to being the hero he dreamed of, the one who would be able to stop the evils of the world, stop Jenova, stop ShinRa... He stood in silence until the cheers coming from the cadets around him made him snap back into reality. A hand made it's way over his shoulder as the raven haired second class grinned.

"Look who's boyfriend is here." Rob grunted before turning over on his mattress, pulling a pillow over his head.

Cloud turned to stare up at Zack as he slouched over him slightly, grinning when he noticed the tonberry plush sticking halfway out of the blonde's bag. Cloud flustered and shoved it back in beneath his clothes, Kain laughing loudly as Zack grinned.

"You better take care of our Strife now, Fair!" Kain shouted as Cloud turned to face Zack, his head colliding with his neck as he attempted to walk forward.

"What do you think I am? A babysitter?" Zack chuckled, raising up a thumb, "of course I will. He's a SOLDIER now. We stick together."

Cloud let the warm sensation run through his veins as he leaned into Zack's chest, knowing full well that Zack would give up his life for him. But this time, he wouldn't have too. Cloud would be the one to protect the raven head from the dangers of the world, not the other way round. Zack turned and led the way through the hallway, more cheers coming from the other rooms as the cadets gave their full support to one third class Cloud Strife.

* * *

Genesis hummed as he examined the files of Cloud Strife. Angeal was sat at the other sofa, watching the television as he sipped his coffee, ignoring the feral noises coming from the crimson commander.

"Sephy is really interested in this kid." Genesis declared suddenly, waving the papers in his hand, "I mean look at all this he's written on the side! I have no idea what it means, but it's probably kinky."

Angeal frowned slightly but continued to watch the television, ignoring his fellow commander. Genesis pouted his lips and put his feet on the table, waiting for the raven haired man to notice.

Which didn't take long.

"Feet off my furniture."

"No, not until you pay attention to me." Genesis countered the command, Angeal raising an eyebrow as he turned his eyes to look at him. Genesis ran his tongue over his upper lip, continuing to smirk.

"Feet. Down."

"No."

Angeal lowered his cup of coffee, sliding it across the table until it stopped at Genesis' feet. The crimson commander awaited for the man to throw him onto the floor, plotting on clinging to him and dragging him down with him. He predicted Angeal's movements exactly, the commander grabbing him by the arm and tossing him off the sofa. However Genesis wrapped his legs around Angeal's waist and pulled him down with him, landing on his back with the bulkier of the two on top. Angeal stared bewildered down at the red head as he leaned his head closer, their noses touching.

"My my, now this is certainly a situation to get yourself into, Ang." Genesis parted his dampened lips and leaned into Angeal's, pressing his skin against the other's. Angeal made no movements as Genesis kissed him, embracing the taste of sweet nectar and black coffee, running his tongue over Angeal's lower lip and tugging playfully with his teeth.

When Angeal finally tried to pull away, Genesis purred and rolled him onto his back. Angeal lay with his arms limp, the crimson commander sitting on his crotch. Genesis grinned with delight when he felt the bulge against his ass.

"So much for not being gay." he hissed quietly, leaning into the man and running his tongue over Angeal's throat, the raven head completely silent as he was held down. Genesis ran his tongue over Angeal's neck, kissing the flesh and sucking on the skin. Angeal let out a low groan as he stayed firmly in place, Genesis shifting his rump so he was rubbing against the man's crotch.

"Gen…"

"Shh. Just let it happen." the red head murmured, as Angeal let out another quiet murmur when he started to slid his hand towards the zip of his trousers, "for you are beloved by the Goddess..."

"WHAT THE HELL GENESIS!?"

Genesis audibly snarled when Angeal's apprentice came storming into the apartment, no longer with the adorable blonde cadet by his side. He threw himself onto the crimson commander and pushed him off his mentor, Angeal still lying nonchalant about the whole situation.

"You have the most terrible timing, Zackary." Genesis hissed as the second class kept a firm hold of his shirt, shaking him for a moment before snapping in his face.

"It's a good thing I came in when I did! You just tried to molest Angeal!"

"It was not molesting if he consented." Genesis bitterly replied, thinking darkly to himself that he was finally getting somewhere with his childhood friend when his idiot puppy had to come in and interrupt them.

Angeal himself had got up and was sitting back on the sofa, ignoring the two squabbling on the floor of his apartment as he watched the television, sipping his coffee yet again. He did not realise there was a rather large bruise on his neck from where Genesis had been sucking and pulling at the skin, leaving a mark for all to see who he belonged to. However Zack noticed as soon as he stood up and flew back down at the commander again.

"YOU FUCKING BIT HIM!"

Genesis let the boy shake him violently until Angeal coughed into a hand, Zack glancing at his mentor who gestured for him to get off the red head. The second class dropped Genesis' head to the floor and got up, standing behind the sofa Angeal was sat on, his frosty glare never leaving the crimson commander. Genesis himself was burning inside, furious his moment with Angeal had been interrupted. However he would take it out on the second class SOLDIER later, when Angeal was not there to protect him.

"If you're quite finished…" Genesis muttered, taking his place back on the opposite couch and pulling up Cloud's files again. Zack stared at him as though he was going to strangle him.

"Are those-?" he shook his head, still in complete disbelief that not only was the crimson commander molesting his mentor, but was leering at his blonde friend.

"Yes, this is a copy of Cloud Strife's files," Genesis raised his eyebrows, "no, they're not mine."

"What? Why do you have a copy of Cloud's files?"

"These, dear Zackary, belong to one General Sephiroth." Genesis held them out for the raven head to snatch them from his hands, scanning through them at the scrawls on the sides of the information, "I simply…borrowed them."

"What do these numbers and symbols mean?" Zack questioned, looking at Angeal. His mentor simply shook his head, wanting nothing to do with the situation. Genesis let out a throaty purr.

"That's what I've been trying to figure out." the commander slouched his shoulders as he leaned back into the comfy furniture, sliding his feet across the table. Angeal was silent, leaving Zack to take the position of the scowling raven head.

"Feet off the furniture!" Zack protested, noticing Angeal seemed to have given up on making the crimson commander comply with the apartment rules.

Genesis rolled his eyes and pulled off his boots before slamming his feet back onto the table like a spoilt child. Zack began to pull the files apart, spreading the paper out across the table.

"Seph will kill you for that." Genesis chortled, the second class ignoring him. "At first I thought the General was attempting to design some sort of sexual scenario between himself and your chocobo," he commented, causing Zack to flinch, "he promptly denied it, so I must concur, I do not know what else he could be thinking."

"These look like battle strategies." Zack murmured, twisting and turning the sheets of paper on the table, examining the numbers, "he's…evaluating Cloud?"

Genesis raised an eyebrow. Zack had cracked the mind of the infamous General? He glanced at Angeal, noticing he was turning the television volume down to listen to his apprentice slowly beginning to unravel the coding.

"He's…determining…" Zack frowned, "how strong Cloud will become in the following years?"

Genesis blinked. Why would Sephiroth care how strong Strife would be in a few years time? Zack ran a hand through his hair as he turned the sheets of paper over and over again, then shook his head.

"He's planning on fighting him?" Angeal questioned, Genesis also beginning to see a pattern in the symbols and numbers.

"Seems like it…" Genesis noticed the colour beginning to drain from Zackary's face as he stopped, beginning to scrunch the paper up slowly in his hands, then break it apart and throw it everywhere.

"No! I wont let him hurt Cloud!" Zack's shout caused the entire apartment to shake. Genesis groaned as he leaned back, holding his aching ears, Angeal piecing the paper back together on the table as Zack sat panting beside him.

"Calm yourself, pup. Sephiroth would not be out to hurt a SOLDIER." Angeal murmured, "he's after some sort of challenge."

"A challenge?" Zack questioned, Genesis raising an eyebrow at Angeal's statement.

"Think about it. Sephiroth has never been defeated. Cloud managed to beat Genesis in less than ten minutes."

"He didn't beat me." Genesis muttered lowly, the other two men ignoring him.

"So?" Zack pressed. Angeal shook his head.

"If Cloud is that powerful at only fifteen years of age, imagine how he will be when he's your age? Or my age?" the older man tried to explain. Zack nodded, while Genesis pouted.

"I could easily defeat the General." he knew full well this statement was false, while the other two did not spare him a glance.

"So he wants to spar with Cloud…?" Zack tilted his head, "why didn't he just say? What's with all these numbers? It's just over complicating everything."

"Sephiroth is not a simple man." Angeal pointed out, "he's undefeated. And the way these calculations are set out, it seems he plans on keeping it that way."


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

Reno grinned when saw which third class had been assigned to be his companion for the mission. Cloud approached, wearing his newly received third class uniform, a broadsword strapped to his back and helmet under his arm. They stood in the entrance hall of the ShinRa Midgar facility, employees and other SOLDIERS passing by them as they approached one another. Cloud stopped a few feet before the suited TURK, that signature, feral smirk never leaving his lips, tongue sliding out of his mouth and to the side of his upper lip as Reno continued to move forward at a dangerously slow pace.

"SOLDIER." Reno began, tapping his metal baton against his shoulder, slouched back slightly.

Cloud stood straight and ready for command. His sapphire eyes never left the red head's. The atmosphere between them was cold, calm, and ever so deadly.

"TURK." Cloud nodded once as he replied, keeping eye contact with the TURK as he addressed him by his career title rather than name, the same way Reno had done for him. Everyone in the company knew that TURKS and SOLDIERS were constantly at each other's throats, neck to neck in a race to impress the President. While SOLDIERS were the army that kept order within Midgar and conquered the world for ShinRa, the TURKS were very bodyguard of the President and his family themselves. While SOLDIERS were replaceable with the hundreds of cadets who joined the army each year, desperate to become heroes, TURKS required years of training and patience to build into the deadliest assassins, the quickest thinkers, the most dangerous human beings.

Therefore a confrontation between a SOLDIER and TURK in the main walkway of the ShinRa building was no coincidence, but a common sight which drew little attention from the passers by.

The suited teenager tilting his head coyly, Reno pointed his baton towards the blonde third class, eyes narrowed.

"You want to take me on?" he challenged in a snide, standing ready for battle, as always.

"I'd beat your ass." Cloud rebuked, sliding his hand closer to the pommel of his sword behind his back, awaiting the TURK'S next move.

However, rather than shouting insults at each other, the two soon broke down their façade, laughter escaping them as Reno lunged onto Cloud..

"You did it, yo!" the TURK declared at the top of his lungs, causing employees and SOLDIERS close by to roll their eyes or grunt at their exhibition. Cloud struggled in the red head's grip as he clung to his waist, picking him up and down in the air as he laughed.

"Let me go, you moron!" Cloud protested, the TURK dropping him and tapping his baton against his blonde head.

"So you got assigned to me for the day! How fun this shall be, Cloudy!" Reno grinned, holding Cloud's arms so he could get used to being on his two feet again.

"Don't we have to go fight monsters?" Cloud queried, the TURK continuing to grin as he turned on the spot, swaying from side to side.

"Yo, who says that can't be fun?" the seventeen year old slung an arm over Cloud's shoulders and started to drag him forward to the entrance doors, ignoring the blonde's attempts to slow them down. Cloud just raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what to expect from the day.

His first assignment had come from Lazard to his cell phone, rather than in person. Only the second and first class SOLDIERS would receive orders straight from the Director, while the third classes got calls or messages sent out to them. Zack had dropped him a text the night before congratulating him again and telling him to come to him if he had any questions, while Genesis had also attempted to call him twice, to which Cloud pretended he could not hear the vibrating coming from the cell phone and made his way to another room. Riley had torn the apartment apart searching for his helmet before he rushed off to cadet training, while the other two third classes, both elevator guards, simply made their way out with a couple slices of toast in mouth, ready for their eight hour shifts. Cloud had checked his phone and found he had been assigned to clearing an area of Midgar, whilst accompanied by a TURK. He had initially swallowed, worried he would end up with Tseng or Elena, but when he received a call from an overjoyed Reno he instantly relaxed and made his way down the elevators.

He and Reno walked for a while, taking their time to head through sector eight rather than dive down into the sewer networks again. Their mission was not located far from the ShinRa facility and so Reno saw no need to get his suit dirty. Cloud followed, holding his helmet in his hands, not quite wanting to put it on.

"Aren't you supposed to wear that, yo?" Reno pointed his baton to the ShinRa helmet, Cloud sighing.

"With hair like this?" he shook his head, then Reno took the helmet.

"You've got a point…" he grinned, then booted the helmet into the air. It vanished above the buildings, leaving Cloud standing gawping and the TURK in laughter.

"I needed that!"

"No you don't. You can just stab people with your hair." Reno flicked one of Cloud's spikes.

"You did not just make a joke about my hair." he exhaled sharply, "Gaia, those jokes are so overused now..."

Reno simply sniggered, continuing on down the roads with the blonde SOLDIER third class trailing shortly behind him.

They passed around a thousand civilians in the utmost poverty, children playing with rubbish and stray dogs in the slum streets while their parents lay crippled with sickness or starvation on the side of buildings. Reno simply hissed lowly to himself as they kept walking, ignoring the people begging for a spare gil coin or two. Cloud would have given them the money if he had any, but on his current wages of twenty gil a week, he had still not received his first payment and so could do nothing to relieve the suffering around him. A few children bumped into the TURK, one attempting to pick his pockets if he had not caught the boy by his wrist and held him up in the air.

"That's not very nice, yo." Reno snickered as the boy kicked out, trying to hit him with his legs.

"Let me go! ShinRa dog!" the boy looked somewhat like Denzel and left Cloud stunned. He said nothing as the TURK dropped the boy to his feet but continued to hold his arm.

"That's right. I'm a big, bad ShinRa dog. And you know what we do?" he leaned closer to the boy, who's eyes were widened in terror, "we bite." the boy fled as fast as he could, wailing as Reno sniggered. Cloud rolled his eyes when the red head gave him a disgruntled glance, "what? Little shit tried to make off with my wallet."

They made their way into sector seven with little distraction after that. Approaching the mechanical labyrinth of the train graveyard, Cloud noticed the monsters from a distance. Deenglows and large guard hounds patrolled the wreckage of the ancient machines, arguing amongst each other as they scavenged for food. Reno grinned and started to trot towards the trains, before leaping up onto one of the wreckages and shouting.

"Oi! Fuck faces!"

The monsters turned to glare at the brash TURK, who sat squatting on top of the train, tapping his baton against the palm of his hand.

"Who's first, yo?"

Cloud rolled his eyes and drew his broadsword, twisting round and cutting a hound in half as it rushed towards him with opened jaws. He made his way to a clearing from the rest of the rubble and scrap metal, Reno running around on top of the trains, jumping from side to side with near constant laughter as a deenglow flew after him. Third class Cloud Strife turned to face another hound which lunged onto him, trying to lash him with the long tentacle upon it's head. He grabbed the tentacle and pulled back, holding the beast steady while he swung his door down on it's neck, decapitating it. The guard hound went limp and fell to the ground, Cloud releasing his grip from the tentacle and turning to the next enemy.

Reno skidded to a halt when he came to a sudden drop in the train. He made his way around the hole steadily, ignoring the guard hounds snarling at him from within the metal compartment, before he fell to his knees on the other side, narrowly avoiding the deenglow's claws. He sneered and rushed after it, leaping onto it's back. The dragon like creature screeched in confusion and tried to shake him off but the TURK used his baton as a rope against the beast's throat, pressing against it hard as it attempted to cast ice on him.

"Yo, Cloud! I'm flying!" he jested as the deenglow suddenly came to a halt, turning upside down and causing Reno to fall into a pile of rubble. The TURK grunted at the impact and shook his head, having landed on his back. He rolled to the side as the deenglow slammed it's claws into the metal where he fell, screeching at him. Reno whacked it across the side of it's jaws with his baton. The deenglow fell back in agony as the human rushed towards it, slamming his head into it's lower jaw and sending them both tumbling down the scrap metal pile.

Cloud ignored Reno and slashed upward, sending a strike of grey into the next two enemies which threw them back a considerable distance. He was surrounded by four guard hounds, all snarling and spitting away as they circled him. Cloud countered one attack with ease as a canine leapt onto him, saliva running down his arms as he held it with one hand, then cut it in two with his sword. The corpse went limp as he pushed it off of him, another hound rushing up behind him and leaping forward. Cloud crouched and avoided his neck being torn into, the canine going over him and colliding with another of the guard hounds, knocking each other out. Now he only had one left. The guard hound stood growling before him, being the pack leader, it was not too impressed nor amused with the rest of it's group being defeated by a mere human. The blonde third class steadied his sword as he awaited the attack, only to be nearly knocked over by a sprawling Reno.

Reno hung onto the deenglow's back legs as it flew around in panic, trying to throw the TURK off. Cloud avoided his feet as he glided shakily past, laughing manically. The hound rushed at him and threw him onto his back, claws digging into his chest as it drooled thick, oozing saliva onto his face. Cloud kicked it off and wiped his face, getting sick of being covered in mud and piss all the time.

Reno released his grip, landing on his feet on one of the trains as the monster cast ice again, causing his fingers to turn blue. Reno shook his hands and turned, waiting for the beast to fly back towards him. He held his baton like a baseball bat and swung into the deenglow's head, sending the beast falling back onto it's side on the train top. Reno grinned victoriously, his tongue protruding from his mouth as he sneered.

Cloud stabbed his sword downwards into the ground, missing the hound as it jinked to the side. He slashed upward, sword still within the metal, causing sparks to fly as he aimed for the monster again. The hound took the strike directly to the head, letting out a cold, bitter snarl as it began to walk towards him, stumbling slightly, then falling to it's side as blood ran out from the wounds. Cloud wiped sweat and dog saliva away from his face as Reno landed beside him, grinning cockily.

"What took you so long?" Cloud questioned, Reno sticking out his tongue.

"Hah, took a trip, yo." the TURK replied slyly, then prodded Cloud in the side with his baton, "you SOLDIERS aren't too shabby."

"You TURKS are." Cloud murmured, causing Reno to leap onto him and knuckle his head.

"Mission orders are to clear this area of the train wreck. Guess we get the rest of the day off!" Reno let out a joyous cheer, slapping the back of the blonde's head, "let's go get wasted!"

Cloud rubbed his head where he'd been hit, then felt the vibrating in his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and looked at the caller ID but it had no name, only a number. He frowned as Reno leaned over him.

"Who's that, yo?"

"I have no idea," Cloud murmured, opening the phone and pressing it to his ear, "hello?"

"Cadet Strife."

Cloud's heart stopped.

Reno tilted his head as Cloud shakily replied, the flashbacks threatening to break his sanity.

"G-General…" he breathed, sapphire eyes widened. Reno raised his eyebrows with a bewildered look as he leaned into the blonde third class, Cloud's entire frame shivering. Reno didn't judge him harshly; he near pissed himself when he first met Tseng, and the SOLDIER General terrified everyone.

Cloud could picture Sephiroth's narrowed, lime green eyes glistening with hate, feline slits narrowed into sheer fractures of black within the Jenova cast irises. He tried to breathe steadily, get his heart to slow from the current rate it was racing at, slamming against his rib cage as the flashbacks of Sephiroth standing within the flames of Nibelheim shot through his memories. The General let draw a low breath, seeming to be laughing softly at his silence. Cloud shook his head, ignoring the red head trying to press his ear against the phone and shoving him away.

"H-how can I help you, sir?" Reno was leering beside him, looking around for any more monsters he could beat into pulps when he figured Cloud was not going to let him listen in to the conversation.

"I would most like to meet you again, Strife." Sephiroth replied, sound completely composed. Cloud knew this man was not the same as the monster he had fought time and time again in his old world, but even hearing his voice, that same, deadly relaxed tone… he felt weak at the knees. He clenched his hand onto the phone, biting his lower lip.

"I'm on a mission, sir." he replied, trying to keep his mouth in a hard, impassive line. The atmosphere suddenly felt arctic.

"Very well. Come to my office when you are finished." the General was not requesting this, it was clearly a command from a superior officer, which made Cloud even more anxious, "I shall be waiting." the line went dead. Cloud still held the phone to his hear, frozen in place where he stood. What did that man want with him? Did Sephiroth…did he remember? Cloud slid the cell phone back into his pocket. Aeris had told them that only she and Cloud would remember, and the others in their group when he finally reunited with them. Did she not tell him that Sephiroth, along with the other enemies he had faced, would have no recollection of his past world? Cloud looked down at his sword arm. He was not yet strong enough to take on the General and win, should he choose to run his katana through his chest another time. The thin scar upon his flesh began to feel warmer as his memories flashed through him in a mixture of white lights, the sight of Tifa collapsed on the ground, Zack unconscious against a mako tank, the mad son of Jenova holding the alien's decapitated head…

"Yo, Cloud. What did the General want?"

Cloud slipped back to reality when the TURK poked his side with his steel baton, walking around him and stopping in front of him, head tilted to the left. He stared at the seventeen year old, his casual grin still present on his lips.

"He wants me to meet him." Cloud murmured, much to the surprise of the red head.

"No shit?" Reno shook his head, wiping his goggles with one finger, "you getting kicked out?"

Cloud's heart dropped into the pits of his bowels. He'd only just been promoted to third class, but what if Reno was right? Anything was possible when it came to the sociopath ShinRa General.

"I…I don't know." he admitted.

Reno pressed his baton against his chin, looking the blonde before him up and down.

"Worst comes to worst, I can get Tseng to make you a TURK, yo." he offered, shrugging slightly.

Cloud thought for a moment. If he was a TURK, he would have all the secrets of ShinRa, and most likely the rest of the planet, if he dug deeper into the information files kept in the TURKS office. But as a TURK, he could never leave, and would eventually have to fight his way through both ShinRa's assassins and SOLDIERS. Including Zack…

No. He would stay as a SOLDIER. There was no other way. He had to protect Zack.

"Well, best get you back to the facility!" Reno declared, wiping his lip as Cloud looked back up at him, "can't keep the General waiting, yo."

Cloud sighed, resolving himself to his fate. He followed the TURK for their twenty minute trip back to sector eight, then sector zero as they entered the ShinRa facility. His legs felt like they were made of sandstone pillars the way he had to drag them forward. The one person he had never wanted to meet in this world, to ever have to face again, was the one he was soon to come face to face with yet again. His entire body felt numb, the blood vessels vanishing within him and leaving him as a walking mass of jelly. He was afraid. Cloud could openly admit this, though never to Zack or anyone who asked. The General had near killed him time and time again, through each of the times he had had to face him in to protect the planet from his insane ambitions. He kept trying to remind himself - this was not the same Sephiroth.

But what if it was?

He stopped when he came to the elevators in the main entrance, Reno chatting to the third class guards for a moment before returning with a key card.

"Yo. Got this for ya." he handed Cloud the black and red plastic sheet, grinning like the Cheshire cat, "it'll take you up to all the floors except the President's office. One floor below his is the General's apartment on floor 69, and below that is his office on floor 66." he pushed Cloud into the metal box, winking, "good luck with whatever the guy wants. Call me later, yo?" when Cloud nodded feebly, the TURK turned and made his way back, waving to Cloud as the doors shut.

Cloud fell back against the wall, sliding to the floor. This elevator would only take him to floor forty, then he would get a second one to floor fifty nine, then he had to use the remaining lifts and elevators to get to the General's floor. His heart doing cartwheels in his chest, Cloud could almost feel the blood running from his body and leaving him, the cetra cells unwilling to be anywhere near the Jenova clone he was about to confront. When the box finally came to a halt, Cloud shakily made his way through the fortieth floor and into the next elevator, flashing his key card to the guards at the entrance to the elevator. He mounted the now glass machine and was taken up. He passed by floor 45, ShinRa's archive rooms where he could guarantee around a dozen TURKS were always skulking around, then passed floor 49, the SOLDIER floor, which consisted of training rooms for the second and first classes. The training rooms he had used had been below the building itself, the legendary training room 49 where he had sparred with Genesis not actually being on floor 49, but hidden amongst dozens of other simulated rooms beneath the building. The amount of damage the rooms endured during training would make it virtually impossible for them to be situated on floor 49 itself, as the floors above would most likely collapse due to the power coming from the mako infused SOLDIERS.

Cloud made his way through the convoluted walkways, elevators, stairs and elevators until he reached his destination. Staring up at the large '66' in bold letters above him, he entered the private hallway, walking towards the plain metal door before him. This could easily be mistaken as any other room in the facility had Cloud not known exactly who sat beyond there. He stopped, noticing the burnt plant near the doorway. He wondered who would set fire to a plant but then heard the voice within the room.

"Come in, Strife."

He had not even knocked on the door. Sephiroth had sensed his presence beyond the doorway and that just left Cloud reeling even more. He had not forgotten how powerful ShinRa's General was, he could never forget that. But right now he was not strong enough to survive his attacks, and so he hoped to Gaia that whatever happened when he stepped into the General's office, his legendary Masamune sword stayed firmly in place in it's sheath.

Cloud pushed the door open, walking forward. Sephiroth was not wearing his battle armour, dressed more formally in a crisp white shirt and black tie. The General still appeared as intimidating as ever, despite his blade being nowhere in sight. Stunning green irises were focused elsewhere than on the third class, as seemed deep in concentration on the paperwork before him, holding a pen in his left hand and scribbling something down. The blonde teenager stood awkwardly before him, not sure whether he was meant to speak or to stay silent. He examined the room, finding that other than the glass windows behind the General, the room was incredibly dull. It was painted white with no picture frames or colours, the floor also being white and the room seeming near empty if it were not for the metal desk and black leather chair in the middle of the room. Cloud figured it must get extremely lonely in this hellish place if this what was the General had to work within. No wonder he was such a sociopath. When he turned his sapphire irises back to the elder before him, Sephiroth's own feline optics were watching his every movement.

"Cloud Strife." his lips in a hard, impassive line other than when he spoke, the General watched Cloud with those inhuman eyes, appearing to be speculating. He appeared cold…distant. Cloud was more used to having the mad man smirking with delight at his suffering, so seeing him in such a stoic state made him feel uneasy, "You were recently promoted to third class, I am told."

"Sir, yes sir." Cloud replied, keeping his eyes on the General's. He ignored his need to blink after a few minutes of dead silence passed, before Sephiroth continued.

"I have been told from my commanders that you are quite the swordsman." his expression was impassive, but his words were like he was saying something else entirely. "How many years of training have you had, Strife?"

"Sir, around six." Cloud lied with ease. He did not feel bad lying to this man, not the way he felt repulsive when he told anything other than the truth to Zack.

"You are exceptionally talented for one who has descended from a mountainous region. Tell me, in what situation would you require such skills?" Sephiroth did not miss a beat. His eyes stayed firmly locked onto Cloud's, willing him to slip up, give him any reason to run his sword through his chest.

"Sir, there are a lot of wolves in Nibelheim." Cloud wracked his mind for some kind of reputable answer, "it's safer to know how to use a sword than it is not to, sir."

"Yet your style reflects very much that of Zack Fair's. Care to explain?"

"I…" Cloud was not sure if he should openly admit his desire to protect Zack, the General could easily use that against him at a later time, "I look up to Zack, sir."

"That's…interesting." Sephiroth murmured, leaning back in his chair slightly as Cloud stood motionless, appearing unafraid of him. It was certainly…entertaining, as Genesis would say. "Do you have any family, Strife?"

"My mother." Cloud replied.

_You killed her. You killed them all._

"No father?"

"Sir… I never knew him, sir." Cloud did not understand why the General was inquiring to his private life. Surely his files would have told him all this?

"And you joined SOLDIER…" he read from said files, quoting him, "to be a hero who protects heroes?"

Cloud said nothing, keeping his sapphire gaze on the General. A small smirk was building in the corner of Sephiroth's lips. This was the sadist Cloud knew full well.

"Commander Rhapsodos tells me you were acquainted with the TURKS before your promotion." Cloud said nothing, the General continuing, "care to explain how?"

"Sir, I met Reno in sector five, sir." Cloud countered, his eyes hardening with anger. What the hell was Sephiroth playing at?

"And a friendship was formed." Sephiroth murmured, clearly amused, "Strife, how much do you know about the TURKS?"

"Enough."

"Really?"

"Yes."

The General was now smirking widely. Cloud scowled internally. No one made him this furious, no one except the sociopath grinning only a few feet from where he stood. Sephiroth said nothing for a short while, simply…watched him. Cloud felt as though he was a specimen under a microscope, the General's eyes taking him in over and over.

"Your body currently holds a capacity of mako at forty percent. A concentration of such height is only found in SOLDIER first classes, after at least five years of monthly mako injections. Yet you told Lazard you fell into mako when you were a child."

"Yes."

"...I don't believe you."

Cloud glared at the General, who simply continued to smirk back at his dilemma. The blonde did not know how to respond.

"In fact, Strife, I think you have been lying to me."

"Sir…?"

"You met the TURK in the sector five church. While you did not specify this, as your superior officer, I expect to be told all details." Sephiroth began, watching as the blonde's confidence began to shatter before him, "you did not fall into mako as a child, for that would have left you with severe burns and in comatose for a considerable amount of time, yet I see no burns, and there are no records of you ever being in an infirmary environment for longer than two weeks. And lastly, you were not trained by some mere nobody in your backwater village. So, Strife, care to tell me the truth, or shall we continue to play this game?"


	20. Chapter 20

_AN ;; so Sephiroth has seen straight through Cloud. How? Well, he was a bit obsessed with his calculations, so while Zack can guess what the General is thinking, he can't actually understand nor work out what the calculations actually say. Sephiroth is incredibly intelligent, and so these things are easily solved. However, he's going to enjoy tormenting Cloud for a little while longer. Is Cloud's sham up, or will he manage to escape the General's clutches? *not in that way, Yaoi fangirls*_

_Song for Zack - Sound the Bugle by Bryan Adams. Do not think of Zack whilst listening to this song. You will end up in tears. Every time I hear it my heart aches knowing how he died for Cloud to carry on. A true hero until the end~_

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

"So, Strife, care to tell me the truth, or shall we continue to play this game?"

Cloud was reeling. Sephiroth simply stared back with flickering green irises, that hideous smirk still present upon his sombre features. Why did this man enjoy tormenting him so? Cloud loathed him with every fibre of his cetra body. He could not reply, finding his lips were parted but no words came from his lungs as he stood motionless before his arch nemesis. Of all the planets he could have been sent to, he was returned to his past with the same arrogant, murderous General still in his shadows, a cancerous tumour sucking away at the little life and goodness left within his soul. But this time he would not allow himself to be played. Allowing a small smile to grow on his lips, the blonde countered.

"I do not know where you have found this information, sir," he watched as Sephiroth began to narrow those feline irises, "but you are solely mistaken."

Sephiroth made no facial expressions other than that signature smirk, simply awaiting Cloud to continue as the third class took a couple of steps closer towards him until he was stood right by the metal desk.

"I was very much raised by my mother alone in Nibelheim until I reached the age of fourteen," Cloud continued, staring straight into the General's eyes, amusement glistening in those black slits, "during which I was trained to fight, and learned how to use materia through the many books my mother kept in our home. I fell into one of the mako pools in the mountains near the village and was pulled out after a few moments by a few friends. After I joined ShinRa, I pretended I did not know how to fight so that I would not be of an advantage to the rest of the cadets. I didn't just want to be thrown into SOLDIER, I wanted to learn. I met the TURK Reno during cross country through sector five under Corporeal Riley's orders, who offered to lead me through the sewers to save an hour of walking so I could make my arranged spar with Commander Rhapsodos with only slight lateness on my hand."

General Sephiroth was unmoved by Cloud's explanation. He simply continued to smile at the blonde as though he was a spider tormenting the fly in his trap.

"Lying to a superior officer is a punishable offence, SOLDIER."

"I am not lying." Cloud stood steady as he noticed the glistening silver of Masamune in the corner of his eye. The blade was resting near Sephiroth's leg, still sheathed in it's black leather holder. The flashbacks of that sword tearing open his chest, slicing through his friends, piercing his very mind, he did not notice Sephiroth had also followed his direction of sight down to his cherished weapon.

"Are you scared, Cloud?" Sephiroth questioned, his voice low, deep, though Cloud did not tear his sapphire optics from the blade.

"Never…" he breathed, finally turning his head to stare directly into the feline irises of the General, his lips parting to allow a single, three worded whisper.

"You should be."

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess."

Cloud instinctively backed away in a shot, nearly colliding with the crimson commander, who stood purring behind him. Sephiroth had noticed him enter and said nothing as the blonde third class had been infatuated, captured by the sight of his katana sword. Genesis had been watching with bemusement from the doorway, which Cloud had left partially open when he had entered. He had simply walked closer to the paralysed third class and purred one of his beloved Loveless quotes into the boy's ear, causing him to trip into his arms. Genesis wrapped said arms around the blonde, grinning wickedly at the now no longer smirking General.

"My my, what _are_ we doing here, Seph?" Genesis parted his lips as he leaned closer into the paling blonde, who was staring at the General with wide blue eyes, "you can terrorise the cadets as you please, but Cloud here is special." he deliberately used one of Zack's descriptions for the fifteen year old, who had promptly gone limp in his arms. Genesis examined the display before him as the two males kept their eyes firmly locked on one another, and despite the ten years age different, both appeared to have found their match. Neither refused to turn away, nor break the stare, Sephiroth having the advantage that his eyes were perfectly designed to complete stillness. Cloud seemed to waver, his chin being turned upward by Genesis' hand as he leered at his old friend, "my friend, the fates are cruel. You would take Cloud from me?"

"Release him." Sephiroth stated simply, though his stare did not leave the blonde. Genesis thought about it for a moment, entertained by the sight of the two glaring at one another, before he removed his arms from around the blonde. Cloud was leaning forward slightly, as though he was being pulled forward by Sephiroth's very stare. Genesis slapped his hand hard against Cloud's back side, snapping the boy back into reality.

"Shoo along now, Cloud." Genesis smiled sweetly as the blonde turned to him, a grateful look in his eyes, before walking out of the office, leaving one amused Genesis with a suddenly darkened Sephiroth.

"Why did you interrupt?" the General questioned, his voice as smooth yet cold as ice. Genesis raised an eyebrow and strolled towards the desk before taking a seat on the corner of the metal framework, Sephiroth's eyes locked on the doorway where Cloud had made his escape.

"My my, Sephy. You really thought I was going to let you have all the fun?" the crimson commander leaned back slightly, his hands sliding across the desk as he stretched his back, "And after we've been so close all of these years, you still know nothing about me?"

"I was getting through to him."

"Really? It looked more like you were going to ravish him on the desk." Genesis chastised lightly, the General leaning back in his chair, closing his eyes.

"I care not for sex, Genesis."

"You can keep telling me, I still wont believe you." the commander turned and looked at the files on Sephiroth's desk, "I should probably mention, Angeal's pup cracked your codes."

"…What do you mean?"

"He knows what you're planning for Strife." Genesis' smirk was large and broad, "we all do."

"That is unfortunate. I had wished to keep it private until the due date." Sephiroth was undeterred, "never the less, it is of no concern."

"You're not worried Zackary will tell him?"

"Strife would have discovered my intentions for him sooner or later. Whether Fair tells him now will have no effect on my plans."

"You've planned this all out?"

"Yes."

Genesis raised his eyebrows.

"It could be years until he's ready to defeat you, Sephiroth."

"I did not claim I wanted to be defeated."

"No," Genesis rolled onto his side, a hand tracing over the General's statue pure face, fingers sliding over the high cheek bones as he purred, "but that is what you want, is it not? For someone to give you the challenge of a lifetime? Someone to make your heart _pound_." Sephiroth said nothing as the crimson commander continued, "I can make your skin _crawl_ with pleasure, Sephiroth…"

"I do not desire you, Genesis."

"Not even for one night?"

"No."

Genesis sighed sharply and sat up on the desk, his feet on Sephiroth's hips.

"You are so boring, Sephy."

* * *

Clutching hair in his hands, Cloud tried to stop the tears threatening to break through. He sat with his back to the elevator wall, knees pulled up to his chest, his entire body shivering. He shook his head, desperately holding back sobs. That man… why did he do these things to him? He felt so weak, so useless. The story he had worked on to keep the science department away from him had just been torn apart and shattered before his very eyes by the one man he had ever feared. The one man he still feared. Cloud dug his nails into his head, watering eyes twitching as they narrowed and widened again and again. Sephiroth was still a monster, still the creature who had torn his life apart. And it terrified him.

How long had Sephiroth known it was all lies? Did Genesis know too? He had stood at the door listening to his confrontation with the General, saying nothing as he was drawn closer to that blade, as though his body was begging to be cut down like a rag doll. A tear rolled down his cheek as the elevator came to a halt, the doors opening. The hallways were empty other than the two third class guards standing at the doorway. Cloud pulled himself to his feet, stumbling forward out of the glass box before he slowly made his way forward. He wiped the tear from his face and shook his arm once, the salted water droplet falling to the ground and dashing into a thousand pieces. The blonde did not turn to get the elevator back down to his apartment, however. He made his way to the one person he knew would help him. Passing by other SOLDIERS who lived in the second and first class apartments, he paid no heed to them examining him, wondering why his skin was reddened and damp. Cloud stopped when he came to the first class apartment he had been to twice before. Sliding his hand onto the metal, he closed his eyes, shuddering where he stood.

Could he honestly let Zack see him like this? So broken, so weak. His asthenophobia kicking in once more, Cloud began to turn from the doorway, only to collide into the chest of a larger man.

"Strife?"

Turning his sapphire eyes up to the face of Angeal Hewley, Cloud's tears openly started flooding down his cheeks. Angeal blinked as the third class stood sobbing silently in front of him. He slid his key card through the door lock and it slid open, then he tugged Cloud forward slightly to gesture him to enter the apartment. Cloud walked in as Angeal placed his rucksack by the door, Zack entering the living area.

"Hey Ang, what's for…Cloud?" the raven haired second class ran to the blonde, who whimpered softly when he wrapped his arms around him, "Angeal, what happened?" his voice aching with concern, Angeal stood watching the scene with interest.

"I found him crying in the hallway." he murmured, noticing Zack constantly trying to keep Cloud's eyes on him, wiping the tears from his face repeatedly as they fell. Cloud Strife clung to his apprentice, Zack running his hand through the boy's blonde spikes as he attempted to calm him down. Angeal sighed, exasperated with all this drama revolving around one blonde fifteen year old, and made his way to the kitchen, pulling out a couple of bowls from the fridge and putting them in the microwave. "This is for dinner, Zack. I've left you some money if you can't find anything to eat. I wont be back till tomorrow evening." the twenty three year old made his way to his buster sword, picking it up with ease and sliding it into the straps on his back. Zack simply nodded as Angeal then grabbed his rucksack and made his way out of the apartment, leaving the two younger males standing in the living area.

Zack pulled Cloud to a sofa and sat him down, the boy's face becoming a blank mask again as the tears stopped flowing, his defences rushing back.

"Cloud, what happened?"

Cloud simply shook his head, refusing to talk. Zack frowned and kissed Cloud gently on the forehead, leaving the blonde flustering, before he turned and made his way to the kitchen to get them the food Angeal had prepared.

Cloud was in shock. Zack kept kissing him like that. He had never done that in his previous world, the most affection the raven haired SOLDIER showing him being that of tackling hugs to the floor. The way his lips had parted ever so slightly before they had pressed against his skin, leaving the tiniest trace of dampness, left Cloud blushing profusely. No one had ever kissed him like that. With Tifa it had been with their lips connecting, but with no passion, simply trying to gain some sort of relief from the terrors around them. And although Cloud had never had sex, nor found the need to, his groin now felt like it was filled with some strange molten lava, sending him wild with need. He glanced back at Zack, the raven head burning his fingers on one of the plates before he slid the finger into his mouth to cool the skin down. Cloud looked away, feeling ashamed. This was his friend he was staring at in such a way, the only other man who had affected him like this being the General when he was only thirteen and first discovered of the SOLDIER programme. Cloud shook his head in his hands when Zack returned to him, grinning widely.

"Guess who's got lasagne?"

Cloud felt a small laugh try to escape him, but he found it could not. He simply nodded once as Zack sat down next to him, turning on the television and handing him a fork. Cloud took the cutlery and stared at the plate in front of him, the bright yellow and red mix seeming much more appetising than any of the gruel he had been given when he was a cadet.

Zack dived off the sofa and searched under television for the DVDs he and Angeal would watch in their spare time. He eventually found one about aliens and grinned to the blonde a few feet from him.

"Aliens vs. Werewolves. Come on, it's amazing." when Cloud made no response, he took it as an all clear and put the disc into the side of the television, leaping up onto the sofa beside Cloud and dropping an arm around his shoulders. Cloud flustered at this and leaned forward to pick up his plate, only to find Zack was moving to hand it to him himself. His fork prodded Zack's hand, Cloud dropping the utensil to the floor with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry!" he grabbed Zack's hand and searched over and over to make sure there was no wound. Zack was at first confused, but soon smiled when he ran his other hand through Cloud's hair.

"Don't worry about it. I'll go get you another one." he got up, glancing back at the still blushing Cloud and chuckling softly to himself. He was so cute, he had no idea. He shook his head, sighing. He could wait for Cloud, let him make the first move. There was no rush now, he was safe in SOLDIER as a third class, rather than having the threat of being thrown out if he failed the cadet exams. Zack noticed Cloud was not engaged in watching the beginning of the movie and made his way to the bedroom, ignoring the demanding bulge in his pants. He pulled off his duvet and dragged it through to the living area, dumping it on Cloud's head. The blonde thrashed wildly under the sheets until Zack appeared under there with him, grinning. Cloud blinked as their noses nearly collided, then noticed Zack's tongue quickly gliding across his lower lip, closing in to him. Cloud's eyes widened and he backed away, nearly falling off the arm of the sofa as he did so. Zack's laughter filled the living area as Cloud sat up, his hair messed from struggling under the sheets. He leaned back with his feet on the table, not having to worry about Angeal scolding him. Cloud shuffled closer to him after a few minutes and lay his head on his chest, lying under the covers. Zack pulled the sheets down so Cloud could see the television screen from where he lay, still sniffling slightly.

They sat in silence watching the movie together, Zack keeping one arm around Cloud's shoulder and the other one the sofa arm behind him, ignoring the erection in his pants. Cloud was perfectly still, his warm breath against Zack's chest causing Zack to feel like he was going to pass out any moment. Cloud eventually began to drift off to sleep from a mixture of tiredness and release of stress from being in his friend's arms, which he would only be able to do in usual circumstances when he had his tonberry toy in his arms. However, the raven haired SOLDIER was much better than a stuffed plush and so Zack smiled widely when he noticed Cloud's eyes were closed and his breathing steady, his body limp in his hold.

Zack wondered what had been the cause to make Cloud break down like that. He knew full well from how Aeris explained to him of the dilemma that Cloud was terrified of being perceived as weak, as useless, and so for the third class to fall into his arms like that made Zack concerned. It would take something big for a teenager like Cloud to just fall apart in a matter of seconds, although he had quickly regained composure after being in the same room as him.

Zack pulled out his phone and sent Genesis a text. When he received his response a few moments later, he immediately felt rage building in his chest, gritting out the name.

"Sephiroth."

_AN ;; Short chapter with Zack being protective of Cloud, Cloud finally letting the tears run out from his hardships with Sephiroth, and the General himself trying to shatter Cloud's resolve and then being propositioned by an ever lustful Genesis. Three reviews before next chapter, guys. :3_


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

The ShinRa facility, dreary, dull and with little to no expenses put towards keeping it in top shape, stood in sector zero as the one building within that sector. Beyond the building a sea of slums lay only a few hundred metres from the entranceway, while guards patrolled the vicinity near constantly to keep civilians off of ShinRa property. However, this day was much different from the usually cold, unresponsive days within the ShinRa building. A large banner had been hung from outside the building, marking the end of the cadet exams. Inside, employees, TURKS and SOLDIERS alike gathered round to help putting up banners, blowing up multicoloured balloons and releasing party poppers in all areas of the building (including the bathrooms, surprisingly) while they had a spare hour from their work. For working with ShinRa, you didn't get regular holidays, the most being a single weekend off due to illness before you would be required to return to work or be replaced. So with the end of the cadet examinations at winter each year, everyone who worked with and in ShinRa made sure to make it a special occasion, including having a large end of year party on the ground floor entrance halls.

Cloud Strife, a SOLDIER himself, hung on to the ladder he was up on, pinning the banner into the wall. Having never been present for a ShinRa party, Cloud didn't quite know what to expect. He stood on the ladder and gave the thumbs up to the third classes below him, who held the ladder as he slid down and landed with ease. Cloud took a moment to look around at the entrance hall he was helping to decorate. Along with dozens of ShinRa banners being hung up, many long metal tables had been stolen from the cafeteria and placed against the walls, now being filled with a variety of foods and drinks, including a rather large punch bowl Corporeal Riley was struggling with. Cloud jogged over to his roommate and helped him with the bowl to the table, Riley grinning and nodding in appreciation. Cloud turned and began to make his way back to the group of third classes he had grown acquainted to, wondering how many of the cadets from E dorm had made it into SOLDIER. He had heard from Zack that Kain had quit and joined the regular army shortly after he had been promoted to third class, while Rob had been thrown out for picking a fight with a rather pissed off TURK. Cloud sighed, standing by himself as the other SOLDIERS made their way to the next hall.

He had not been called to the General's office since he had been most graciously saved by the crimson commander after falling into some sort of trance with Sephiroth's sword. He shook his head as he remembered how he'd practically ran to Zack crying his eyes out, only to find he'd fallen asleep on the second class when he awoke the next morning to find an amused Genesis purring at the sight of them sleeping next to each other. Zack had promptly thrown Genesis out of the apartment, while Cloud gathered his thoughts, trying to recollect if they had done anything. He remembered Zack had kissed his forehead, and how they nearly collided under the sheets, but other than that he was sure they had only slept next to each other. Well, he had slept on Zack. He didn't know if the second class had been bothered about it until Zack had laughed fondly and rubbed his head, telling him he could come visit him any time he wanted. To which Cloud had done, arriving a few nights later with a pack of cookies he'd managed to get Reno to snag. Angeal had opened the door and upon seeing the cookies frowned.

"Are you saying my cooking isn't good enough?"

Cloud had spluttered until Zack dived in to rescue him from his gruff mentor. Cloud had mouthed a thanks and they sat watching another film whilst Angeal apprehended the cookies, taking a bite out of one and then deciding he'd keep the packet for himself. Zack and Cloud had been given one each as treats for behaving while the commander busied himself polishing his sword. He really did treat them like puppies, rubbing Zack's head and applauding him when he cracked puzzles in the films before the main character managed to. Cloud arrived the next day but was horrified to find one Genesis lying on top of Zack on the floor, Zack yelling in anger and Angeal leaving him to be molested. Cloud had entered and Genesis acted like he'd done nothing wrong, simply getting up and catching the blonde in his arms instead. This had gone on for each of the times Cloud had visited the apartment in three weeks. Now he had not seen Zack in a few days, both being busy with their duties as SOLDIERS to spare any time other than to text one another.

While Cloud had been keeping a social life, his work life was also adequate. When he wasn't taking classes with Riley, teaching the man how to use materia, Reno seemed to be his partner on every single mission he was given, except for when he and a few other third classes got sent into the sewers to fight monsters, which usually only took a few hours, then he would be dragged along to the Seventh Heaven bar where he the SOLDIERS would attempt to get him to talk to numerous girls, guys, animals. Anything to get him laid. It had become a mission, apparently, to make Cloud Strife lose his virginity before he reached second class. Cloud was bewildered and straight up refused to do anything with anyone, but when his cohorts went too far, occasionally trying things on themselves in their drunken states, Reno would never be far to whack them on the head with his steel baton.

He was due to meet Reno in the main entrance at one o'clock for his last mission of the week before he was given a weekend off for a well earned rest. Although he'd seen around four separate TURKS in the main hall since he'd arrived ten minutes ago and been hooked into helping spruce the place up, not one of them had been the coy red head. One TURK, the girl Cissnei who had helped him find training room 49 for his spar with Genesis, was helping out SOLDIERS by hanging up banners at the other side of the hall. They held the ladder for her, grinning as she made her way up, staring at her swaying behind as she did so. Cloud rolled his eyes at this sight before hearing the signature cackle of one Reno approaching him.

"Yo, Cloud!" dishevelled red hair everywhere above his goggles as usual, the TURK grinned happily, holding a party popper and exploding it in Cloud's face. Cloud's hair soon became entangled with numerous multicoloured paper lines. Reno burst into laughter as Cloud stared back at him, exhaling lowly.

"Hi, Reno." he muttered, pulling out the strands from his hair as the TURK began to wheeze as he tried to breath.

"You should seen your face!" he leaned forward, hands on his knees as he continued to laugh hysterically. Cloud blinked, hearing the sound of bending metal. He followed the sound, ignoring Reno as his mako enhanced ears picked up on the ladder slowly collapsing beneath the female TURK, who was none the wiser, the SOLDIERS gathered around her below starting to back away. Cloud rushed forward as Cissnei's eyes widened, the girl letting out a loud scream as the ladder gave in and fell apart, the TURK falling down. The third class dived through the crowd, catching Cissnei in his arms and landing on his back, sliding across the floor until his head bumped softly against the wall.

Reno stood up and turned, looking around when he noticed Cloud wasn't there anymore. He approached the awed group, shoving them out of the way with his metal baton, then burst into laughter yet again.

"Cloudy! I turn my back for a minute and you've got angels falling from the sky!"

Cloud grunted and sat up, rubbing his head where he'd hit the wall, the TURK in his arms staring at him with a bewildered expression. When he eventually opened his eyes to look at the girl on his lap, she was giggling.

"You! You're the smelly cadet!"

The crowd around began to laugh as Cloud flustered, Cissnei getting to her feet with ease and smiling widely. Cloud groaned and pulled himself up, leaning back against the wall for a moment before he turned to her.

"A thanks would've been alright…" he murmured, looking down at his feet as he rubbed his head where most likely a bruise would be forming.

Cissnei giggled, tilting her head to the side.

"You're Zack's friend!"

Cloud simply nodded as Reno began shooing away the SOLDIERS and employees gathered around them, hissing and spitting at them like a wild animal as he swung his baton around. Reno eventually returned to his side, grinning.

"Cissnei, you know my friend Cloud?"

"Yes, we met a few months ago." Cissnei had a thumb on her lower lip, as though she was contemplating, "you had just taken him through the sewers…"

"Oh. My bad." Reno snickered as he dropped an arm around Cloud's shoulders, starting to pull him away, "ah well, see ya later Ciss!"

"Wait."

Reno turned to face the girl, dragging Cloud with him. He grinned, patting his baton against his shoulder opposite the third class he had captured in his hold.

"Finally gonna take me up on my offer of a date?" Reno sniggered, keeping Cloud under his arm as the girl smiled sweetly.

"No, not you Reno. Cloud?"

Cloud blinked. He turned his sapphire eyes up to face the flustering girl, who was smiling lightly. Reno was holding Cloud with a disgruntled look on his features, facing away from her as he was rejected yet again. Cloud rubbed the back of his head when Reno finally released him and prowled off towards the entrance doors, not wanting to hear their plans. The girl stood patiently before him, only a few feet away, holding her hands in front of her lower stomach as was quiet other than a few giggles escaping her. Employees passing by them, Cloud didn't want to show her up in front of the facility, so tried to reply as nicely as possible.

"Ciss, I don't think that's a good idea…" the blonde murmured, practically feeling the girl's hopes shatter before him. However, Cissnei did not act hurt. She simply laughed softly.

"I was joking, silly." she mused as she leaned into him, pretending to sniff him, "but at least you smell a bit better now…only a bit." she smiled and turned, trotting off into the crowds. Cloud blinked, thinking that that went surprisingly well. He rubbed the back of his head and followed Reno's trail out the door, finding the TURK sitting half way down the stairs near the metal banister, grumbling to himself.

"Yo." Reno muttered when Cloud took a seat next to him, "how'd it go?"

"It didn't _go_ anywhere." Cloud replied, the red head perking up slightly as he replied, "I don't like her. Not in that way, at least. She said she was joking, anyway."

"You idiot! Why'd you reject the hottest bird in ShinRa?!" Reno threw his arms up in the air, furious, "are you ever going to get laid?!" when Cloud ignored him, the TURK let out a frustrated sigh, "ugh. You're a moron."

Cloud and Reno made their way through the slums, after Cloud tried to explain to Reno that while he was not asexual, he had never found anyone who he was sexually interested in.

"You're so gay." Reno poked fun at the third class' dilemma, Cloud rolling his eyes as they passed a couple of kids arguing with a stray dog.

"I am not."

"Then why've you never had a girlfriend?"

"I have."

"Then how are you still a virgin?!"

Cloud could have tackled Reno into the nearest manhole when he let out this shocked statement, causing quite a few civilians to start chuckling at them. They stopped in the sector five slum market, looking around for any suspicious activity.

"Remind me what we're looking for?" Cloud sighed as the red head began to stuff his face with a hot dog he swiped.

"Some kid stole Reeve Tuesti's wallet." Reno informed, "so basically any kids."

"…We're out searching for a _wallet_?"

"Yo, we can't all go out fighting monsters!" Reno sneered, swallowing the last piece of indeterminable meat and swinging his baton around in his hand, leaning back against a stall, "besides, the wallet had a couple of key cards to get into the ShinRa upper floors. If AVALANCHE got a hold of those, we'd be pretty fucked." The stall owner ignored them as Reno explained, more concerned with her stock than the two teenagers standing close by. Cloud nodded, examining the market for any odd activity. When he finished his search, he felt a hand pulling on his shirt.

"Hey, Cloud."

Cloud blinked, turning to find Aeris smiling up at him. Cloud beamed as he saw she was holding a woven basket of flowers from her church, a mixture of ivory white and butter yellow petals hanging from her arms.

"Aeris." he closed his eyes as Aeris placed a flower into his hair, a golden one the same colour as his locks. She giggled when it sat perfectly upon a couple of spikes, drawing attention from the TURK next to him.

"Cloud, do you just attract girls? Wait, Aeris? Cloud, you two know each other?" Reno was clearly confused as he was sure Aeris had not been in the church when he first met Cloud. Aeris pursed her lips slightly as Cloud came up with a white lie.

"I bought a flower from her a few days ago." when Reno ah'd, the two cetras relaxed. Reno grinned and held his hand out to the basket, but was quickly whacked away by Aeris.

"Ow!"

"You have to pay!"

Protesting, "You gave Cloud one for free, yo!" Reno moaned.

"He's special!" Aeris snapped back at the TURK, Cloud chuckling at the two arguing. Reno grinned as Aeris giggled softly, then Cloud noticed the children in the market.

"Hey, Reno." he gestured to them, and the TURK took off in flight, chasing after them and shouting at the top of his lungs. The children scattered but Reno managed to grab one, dragging the girl kicking and screaming over to them. The civilians raised eyebrows but did not interfere, for they knew a dark blue suited TURK when they saw one. Reno dropped the girl to the floor between the three but kept a hand on her shoulder when she tried to make away under their legs.

"Tell us where the wallet is!" Reno snapped when he picked up the girl by her arms and held her in front of his face. The girl promptly kicked him in the neck, leaving him winded as he dropped her and she made her escape.

Cloud blocked her path, catching her in his arms.

"Shh, we're not going to hurt you." he tried to calm the kicking, screaming child but she would not silence. Not until Aeris knelt down in front of her.

"He's right you know, Cloud couldn't hurt a fly." she smiled, holding out a flower to the girl. Cloud frowned, knowing full well Aeris was bluffing. She shot him a look to keep quiet as she turned to Reno, "what is it you're looking for?"

"Ugh," Reno ran a hand over his neck, brushing the muck away, "Reeve Tuesti's wallet."

"…What does it look like?"

"Yo, I don't know. What a fucking wallet looks like I guess?" Reno muttered, Cloud loosening his grip on the child.

"Hun, we'd like your help." Aeris began, smiling softly as she placed the white flower into the little girl's hair, "we're looking for a wallet, have you or friends seen any?"

"Why would I help him! He's a ShinRa dog!" the girl protested, struggling in Cloud's arms again, "ugh! Let me go!"

Cloud opened his lips to speak but Aeris silenced him, pressing a finger against her lips.

"I'd really like to know where the wallet went, hun, it's really important. It belonged to Cloud's father." she gestured to the blonde, who looked confused at first, then nodded. The little girl scowled, then shrugged.

"I don't know! Marc found one yesterday but he sold."

"Who did she sell it too?" Reno questioned, suddenly leaning over them. The girl hissed at him. He hissed back, sticking out his tongue.

"You're weird!"

"Well, you're short." The girl pouted at the TURK as Cloud released her, she turned to the flower girl.

"I really don't know. Can I go? Mum will be worried." she pleaded. Aeris nodded and let the girl pass, who walked at first, then ran full speed. Reno chased after her, giving up once she vanished in the crowd.

"Great. We lost our only lead!" he ran his hands through his hair, "Tseng is gonna kill me, yo!"

Aeris and Cloud smiled to each other, Aeris stroking one of the petals of the flower in Cloud's hair. Reno sniggered at the two, noticing the way Cloud looked at the cetra as though they had known each other for years.

"Yo, Aeris. Come to the party?"

Aeris turned to the TURK as he put his baton away into the strap on his side, running his free hand through his hair with his back slouched, attempting to appear seductive. Cloud scoffed internally.

"Party?" Aeris questioned, her green eyes large with interest, "Cloud, you never said there was a party."

"That's because Cloud is a homo." Reno sneered as Cloud rolled his eyes, turning on the spot and facing away from them.

"I thought it was ShinRa employees only." he muttered, Aeris picking up on this and giving Reno an odd look. Reno shook his hands in the air.

"I can get you in! Only, if you be my date." he grinned. Cloud practically face-planted onto the ground. Aeris pressed a thumb to her lower lip, humming, then nodded.

"Ok then."

"Yes! I'll come pick you up at the church at six, alright?" when Aeris nodded, Reno fist pumped in the air and began to make his way back towards the ShinRa building. Cloud blinked repeatedly, not quite believing what he heard.

"Aeris, aren't you and Zack-?" he frowned when Aeris tilted her head, smiling softly.

"We broke up, Cloud."

"…What?" he lowered his eyebrows profusely, "when?"

"After we told him about your past." she continued to smile softly, though Cloud could see the sadness in her eyes, "it's alright, I'm ok."

"But, you two-?" Cloud shook his head, "I thought-"

"Cloud. What matters in a relationship is that both people are happy. Zack wasn't happy, so I let him go." Aeris informed, looking down at her flowers as she willed tears back, then smiled, "I'll see you tonight, yeah?" Cloud could only nod as she turned and started to disappear within the crowds, completely shocked, his heart slowing to a near stop.

_AN ;; Reno, you dog! Going after newly single ladies! Ah well, perhaps he can give Aeris some happiness after her split with Zack. Meanwhile Cloud is very 'wtf' about the situation as he thought Zack was madly in love with Aeris. ~_


	22. Chapter 22

_AN ;; UGH. I HATE the previous chapter. It just screams 'badly written' to me. Ugh ugh ugh._

_Anyway, here's the ShinRa yearly party. Though Cloud seems to have wandered off, leaving a confused Zack to search for him. Where has he gone? We shall soon find out. 5 reviews before the next chapter is posted, guys. (:_

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

An exhausted Zack exhaled as he leaned back against the wall, avoiding the newly promoted third classes running around together in the middle of the entrance hall. They were still acting like cadets, despite their new position, but no one chose to stop them. This would be their last night before heavy duties began, and so they were left to cause as much destruction as possible; as long as they left the alcohol table alone. The TURKS were gathered together at the far end of the hall, near the stand which had been erected for Director Lazard to use when he was addressing the fifteen out of the two hundred cadets who had passed the entrance exams. Two of them had been from Cloud's dorm, but Cloud himself was nowhere to be found. Zack had made his way through the crowds looking for the spiky haired blonde and came face to face with his ex girlfriend instead, who stood talking with one Cissnei. Aeris had smiled at him before the two girls burst into giggles, Reno grinning as he dropped an arm over Aeris' shoulders. Zack rolled his eyes and moved on, searching for the third class through the crowds of ShinRa employees and SOLDIERS. Angeal and Genesis were mingling with the crowd, Genesis flirting with anything with a pulse while Angeal tried to keep him on a leash, dragging him away if he got too excited. Zack chuckled at this, but still could not find his friend anywhere in the groups of people. When Angeal called him over to meet the head of Urban Development, Reeve Tuesti, Zack had forfeited his search and made his way over to his mentor, standing and smiling when addressed but quietly wondering where Cloud had gone.

The blonde in question was not far away from where Zack was searching. He had been pulled over by Riley and his room mates before they left as they downed vodka before heading to the party, and although Cloud had not drank any himself, he was none the less not allowed to leave the room before they had finished the bottle. Riley hung onto him as they sung in the elevator before stumbling out on the search for more alcohol, leaving a confused Cloud alone in the metal box. Cloud sighed, walking towards one of the many large hallways being swarmed with ShinRa employees and SOLDIERS. Cloud found Corporeal Riley shortly after they had parted, sitting on a table whilst drinking punch straight from the filling spoon. Cloud rolled his eyes, awkwardly standing near his roommates as they cheered and jested, the loud noise of the party and the cramped spaces causing Cloud to begin to feel very out of place. He eventually made his excuses to head to the bathroom, Riley spluttering out alcohol as he shouted something at the top of his lungs, but due to the loud noise of the crowds laughing and chatting away Cloud did not hear him.

He made his way past the drunken crowds and headed to the nearest bathroom, but stopped when he saw the long brown hair in the same corridor as him. He heard her familiar laugh and widened his eyes, lips parting.

"Tifa?"

Cloud followed the girl's trail as she made her way forward through the crowds, wearing a short, tight black skirt and white shirt. Although she was not wearing her red gloves, Cloud was sure that the woman he followed was in fact his old friend. She giggled and downed a drink, then continued moving forward through the crowds. Cloud could not get a good look at her face as she flashed in the thin spaces between people as he tried to make his way through and keep up with her at the same time. When he finally reached out to her, placing his hand on her shoulder, the girl turned.

"I'm sorry, do we know each other?" the woman asked, tilting her head. Cloud felt blood rush to his cheeks as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were someone I know." he murmured his reply, but she did not hear him. She turned, smiling at him, vanishing into the crowds once more, leaving Cloud alone with his thoughts. The blonde did not stay in the loud area for long, however. Approaching an elevator, the guards allowed him to pass. Going down floors, Cloud held his arms against his chest. He had been sure, so sure, that that woman was Tifa. The way she had laughed, and the way she had dressed, the colour of her hair… he shook his head.

"I must be going insane…" he murmured, the elevator coming to a halt on the training floors. He walked through the empty hallways, checking to see if anyone was here. He sighed when he realised he was alone. The sound of laughter and the party upstairs was very faded, appearing numb to his ears below the floors of concrete.

Cloud smiled slightly and made his way into training room 49. Using his third class key card to get in, when it refused him at first, he used the one Reno had given him instead. The doorway lit green and he entered, thanking the red head TURK wherever he was. Cloud made his way over to the furthest end of the room, before leaning back against the metal wall and sliding down till he hit the floor. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing quietly to himself.

His current plan involved getting Reeve Tuesti on side. Once he had the head of Urban Development as an ally, they could use his Cait Sith robot to get anywhere in the world, though his closest options were either Nibelheim or Rocket Town. He knew if he was going to convince Vincent he was not mad, he would have to go himself, but how he would get there when SOLDIERS were given practically no vacation breaks was a puzzle. Vincent Valentine, ex TURK and lover of Sephiroth's mother, would not be content discussing the fate of the world with a robot the shape of a cat riding upon a large moogle, while Cid Highwind would most likely spear the robot on sight and claim it as some kind of trophy. This was not going to be easy. But Cloud lived for challenges. He had Aeris and Zack on side already, so convincing Reeve would be no problem, after the man's initial shock. His safest, best option after getting Reeve on side, was to find Tifa. But after having thought he had seen her in the crowds upstairs, Cloud was left reeling. He had figured his mind was rotting, wounded, he was only alive to serve the lifestream and it cared not that he was slowly dying from witnessing so much suffering. When he died, he would simply be brought back, time and time again. Cloud shook his head. He could not let that happen. He had to find his friends before his mind rotted away, if that were the case. He did not know, and could not check with the science department as they would see the mako content inside him and take him to use as another experiment. But the way his mind was constantly plagued by nightmares…it was could not be normal. No, it was not normal.

He pulled out the pink ribbon from his pocket, smiling. It was the one Tifa wore on her arm, she had given it to him when they had faced the Jenova infected Midgar civilians together one last time, before they had both fallen into the lifestream below. Tears threatened not to break him, he had cried too often and too much. No, it was time for Cloud Strife to become stronger, both psychically and mentally.

Cloud parted his eyelids slightly when he heard the door skimming open. Had Zack also come here to get away from the loud crowds upstairs? He smiled slightly, waiting for the man to tackle him to the side from where he sat, but when he did not feel Zack's embrace around him, he opened his eyes.

General Sephiroth was staring down at him with a bemused glint in his eyes. Cloud's face paled as he scrambled to his feet, saluting his superior, who had his sword drawn, ready for battle.

"Sir, General sir!" he was visibly trembling, keeping his eyes on Sephiroth's blade. Why was Sephiroth here, in all places?! Wouldn't he be attending the party upstairs to keep President ShinRa happy? Gaia, was he here to kill him? Cloud swallowed down bile building in his throat when the general allowed a cold smile to make it's way across his lips.

"Strife," dressed in full battle armour, Sephiroth slid the tip of his sword away from Cloud, the sound of metal on metal causing the third class to stiffen where he stood, "do you often make a habit of sleeping in the training rooms?"

Cloud blinked. Had he been asleep? He turned his sapphire stare to the General's ever cold, dominating green irises, the cat eye slits watching him with curiosity. He noticed Sephiroth's eyes had trailed and were staring at the ribbon wrapped around Cloud's wrists. Cloud quickly slipped it back into his pocket.

"Sir, I did not realise…" he silenced when Sephiroth's blade made it's way up his arm, the cold metal slowly caressing his skin, sending chills through Cloud's body until the blade stopped at his shoulder, so dangerously close to his neck. The General drew back, turning, the ends of his long black coat rippling in his movements.

"Would you like to spar with me, Strife?" the General put the question on the table, Cloud's eyes widening slightly. He wanted to cut him into pieces, slash open his flesh, spray his blood across the walls and stain his blade red. Or…did he? Cloud tilted his head as the General stood facing away from him. He did not move, but found the confidence to ask.

"Why are you not at the party, sir?"

When Sephiroth turned back to him, that smirk was no longer present on his lips. He examined Cloud as though he had asked him the most obscure question. Cloud said nothing while Sephiroth continued his inspection, finally opening his lips to reply.

"I did not deem it necessary to attend."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. He couldn't help himself, the response was so…typical of the man. Sephiroth noticed and narrowed his eyes.

"Should I need more reason?" Cloud noticed his gloved hand was gripping his blade hold tighter, and said no more, simply shaking his head, "now, will you spar with me, Strife? Or shall I find someone more worthy of my interest?"

Worthy of his interest? Cloud stood in bewilderment. Sephiroth was deeming him interesting enough to spare a glance at? He thought he _cared_ that he had decided he was worth a shit? He scoffed, his hate for the arrogant man coming through like a blazing fire.

"Maybe I don't want to spar with someone as obnoxious as you, sir." Cloud could hardly believe the words that came from his mouth. He would have bitten off and swallowed his tongue had he known that sentence would escape his lips. He was unarmed, and Sephiroth stood with his seven foot long nodachi blade, clearly taken aback by his response.

Sephiroth let draw a low, cold laugh.

"You think me obnoxious?" he slowly raised his blade, holding it before Cloud, pointed to his chest, the scar on Cloud's flesh burning as the threat of being speared with the blade again became obvious, "Strife, get your weapon."

"I don't have one." Cloud replied lowly, the General's lips staying in an ever present smirk.

"Find one." it was no request. Cloud passed by the General, wondering if he should run but knowing he would probably be cut down in seconds if he tried to flee, making his way to the sword rails just outside the training room. He found a basic broadsword and turned, making his way back into training room 49. Sephiroth did not move to make there a scenery for them, standing watching Cloud without movement, eyes locked onto the small blonde as he held his blade.

Cloud readied the sword in his hands, the General preparing himself. However Cloud was not going to give him that gratitude. He rushed forward, blade tip trailing across the floor, then slashed upward directly at the General. Sephiroth swung his blade, cutting the grey streak of power in half. Cloud grimaced, growling lowly. This was not going to be easy.

It was the General's turn now. No other time had he been so disrespected before now, with the blonde calling him obnoxious. The fifteen year old was either extremely brave, or incredibly stupid. Not even Genesis dared openly insult the silver haired man, who was now fuelled with anger. It was not that he could not take the insult, he had no care for simple words, but the fact it was coming from a lower ranking SOLDIER of such inferior stance compared to him, the idea that someone was not afraid of him, challenged his authority, infuriated the General. He would break Strife, time and time again, until he bowed down on one knee and begged for forgiveness. But as he gracefully cut through the attack of the third class, he had been moved back slightly, the power coming from the blonde obvious from the very moment he picked up the blade.

And it just made it all the more worth while.

Cloud avoided the first slash of the blade, rolling to the side as the Masamune cut through mechanics beneath them, pipes and wires tearing in half with ease, sparks flying in the pursuit of the General's blade. Cloud slammed his sword into Sephiroth's, pushing it away from him as it threatened to cut open his head. He ducked down and slid under the blade, before slashing to the side and nearly catching a strap on the General's jacket as he dodged his broadsword, the man smirking like the mass murdering sociopath he was. Cloud slashed his sword upwards again, but the General simply leapt into the air, twisting over him and landed behind him, a strike of blue power rushing towards him. Cloud ducked down, a few blonde locks being removed in the process, before rushing forward again. Sephiroth's blade collided with his own, the two refusing to back down. Sparks flew from the swords as the General lowered his head slightly, his eyes in direct line with Cloud's.

"Give yourself to me," Sephiroth whispered, his lower lip kept lowered from his mouth as he held his stance against Cloud with ease, the blonde's eyes widening in confusion, "I will give you _everything_."

Cloud leapt back and slashed his blade, sending large sheets of metal and wiring flying from the flooring beneath them and straight towards the General. Sephiroth cut through them with ease, approaching the blonde at a steady pace, Cloud's heart racing. What did he mean, give himself to him? Give him his very soul? No. Never. Never again would he let that man break him. Cloud rushed to the side, avoiding a swipe of the Masamune katana as he ran, running across the wall as he slashed again, sending another plate of metal flying towards the General. Sephiroth simply hacked it apart in a couple of quick strikes, Cloud landing around twenty feet from him, panting loudly, his heart near breaking the ribs in his chest. Sephiroth smirked from where he stood completely unmoved by the battle, his blade steady in his hand. Cloud was visibly shaking, a mixture of anger, confusion and terror boiling through his veins.

"Why do you fear me so, Cloud?" the General questioned, his voice nonchalant and relaxed, as though they had never met before. Cloud shuddered when he heard Sephiroth mention his name, knees feeling as though they may crumble at any given moment.

"I hate you." his statement came out in a haggard breath, "you're nothing… but a murderer…"

Sephiroth kept his eyes fixated on his prey. Cloud Strife hated him? This certainly made things much, much more interesting. The blonde had captured his interest, and the silver hair would never let that go until he tasted the boy's very terror upon his tongue.

Cloud rushed forward, slamming his sword down onto the Masamune, realising his blade had began to crack due to the power radiating from their battle. He twisted away and slashed again, but instead felt the tearing of his shirt as fabric met steel and long, clutching fingers slid across his throat. Cloud dropped the sword in his hands, which immediately shattered upon hitting the floor. Around the two the ground had been torn apart, mechanics and wires hanging from all ends, alarms sounding as sparks flew.

Sephiroth held Cloud steady in his right hand, his left hand holding onto his blade. Masamune had pierced through the side of Cloud's shirt, dangerously close to his waist where his arteries were contained. The blonde was limp in his arms as he held him there, the boy turning to stare down at the blood which began to flow from the cut Sephiroth's blade had made into his flesh. Sephiroth pulled Cloud's head back up, running a finger over the boy's chin as he shut his eyes, shivering beneath his touch.

"You _will_ be mine, Cloud." he whispered, as quiet as falling snow, as he leaned closer into the teenager's neck, his fingers slowly making their way into Cloud's mouth.

Cloud's eyes shot open. He bit down on the General's fingers, causing Sephiroth to recoil in a mixture of shock and the sudden pain which flowed through his hand. Cloud rushed forward, fleeing the training room as the General made no attempt to follow. He stared down at his fingers, examining the white patterns in his skin which soon began to flow red with blood. He had not seen the crimson liquid in his veins since he was much, much younger, and the sight of the small wound on his hand simply made the General smile lightly.

From the very moment he had set eyes upon Cloud's image sent to him by the crimson commander while he was in Wutai, the General had acted like a possessed being, destroying entire armies so he could return to ShinRa to meet the pitiful cadet. And when he had, his entire resolve had been flattened. He had originally wanted to terrorise the cadet into leaving the SOLDIER programme, then he would have hunted him down and torn him to pieces. Nothing should possess that kind of beauty, nothing. But when he had discovered that this cadet was not some fearful mouse in an army of rats and weasels, Sephiroth's mind took a different route. A much, much different path indeed. While he desired to have the challenge of his life, he knew he would not be able to go on if he killed the boy, like blowing out a single flickering flame upon a candle. Such a life did not deserve to be wasted. Such a beauty, such a being… deserved to be his.

Cloud Strife would be his and his alone.

_AN ;; Hold your nose bleeds, YAOI fans. 5 reviews, and you get the next chapter. ^_^~_


	23. Chapter 23

_AN ;; THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE 5 REVIEWS NOW I CAN POST DIRTY THINGS HEHEHEH. WARNING! XXX YAOI AHEAD. TURN BACK NOW IF YOU HAVE ANY DIGNITY/SELF RESPECT. HUEHUEHUE._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

Zackary Fair had managed to get away from the crowds after convincing the Director that he didn't want to talk to the ex cadets, instead hooking a drunken Riley into giving the newly made third class SOLDIERS a lecture on honour and loyalty towards ShinRa. Angeal and Genesis had disappeared amongst the hundreds of ShinRa employees, as it drew closer to ten o'clock and the end of the party. He made his way past people throwing up on the hallway floors as they waited in a long queue for the bathroom, while Zack had also noticed that the TURKS had all bailed out around the eighth hour, heading off to their own personal bars in the slums rather than having to deal with the drunken, rioting SOLDIERS. The raven head was beyond worried now, having noticed that, despite the majority of ShinRa personnel being at the party, none of the science department employees were present at the party. And with Cloud's absence, he could only start imagining the worst. Cloud had suffered four years in his past life as a puppet in Hojo's experiments, and while this Zack had not, he could clearly imagine the pain the third class would have endured, and would never allow that to ever happen again. He let out a loud sigh, desperately searching for someone he knew, anyone who could tell him if they'd seen the blonde. He slammed open doors as he searched the offices, near ransacking the facility as he searched, not caring who he bumped into or how many couples he interrupted in their moment of loving. He began running, faster and faster, looking for any sign of his friend's presence.

Zack finally slowed, sliding his hands down onto his knees, panting loudly. When the stench of blood hit him. Zack's sapphire eyes widened, radiating with the mako in his system as he automatically recaptured his breath, pulling himself up to stare into the corridors leading to the Urban Development department. He frowned, walking forward, his boots loud against the metal flooring until he stepped into the scarlet puddle. Pooling around his boot, Zack stepped back as he beheld the state of the hallway. Darkened blood was trailed before him, droplets upon the floor around the larger gatherings, while there were finger trails and handprints on the walls. His lips parted, Zack ran forward, pushing open the doors to the Urban Development offices. He followed the biological mess until he saw the leg lying limply on the floor in the darkness of the offices.

"Cloud?!" the raven head flew forward, sliding on the blood when he skidded to a halt, coming to the limp body of the blonde. He fell to his knees and shook him, "Cloud! Wake up! Cloud!"

The third class slowly opened his softened blue eyes as Zack shook him, his lips trembling and teeth bared as he grimaced in horror at the sight of the large cut in Cloud's side.

"Zack…" he murmured in response, reaching his hand out to the elder. Zack grabbed his hand and pressed it against his chest, then lifted Cloud's shirt to get a look at the wound. He hissed at the sight, the blonde shaking his head slightly. "N-no, get away, Zack…run…"

"No! I'm not leaving you Cloud! Who did this to you?!" Zack did not know if the wound was potentially fatal or if it was simply minor, all he knew was the agony his heart was enduring as he saw the teenager he loved lying so beaten before him, "come on, we've got to get out of here!"

"N-no, Reeve, I have...to talk to him...he-" Cloud tried to push Zack back but the raven head ignored his murmuring begs, pulling Cloud up onto his back, his arms draping over his shoulders as he held on tightly to his legs. The blonde fell back into unconsciousness again, leaning his head into Zack's neck as he carried him out of the darkness.

"Hold on there, Cloud." Zack whispered, making his way back through the offices, kicking the doors open with one foot and carrying Cloud to the one place he knew he would be safe.

* * *

Genesis grinned with delight as Angeal fell back against the sofa with a thud, letting out a soft moan. He ran his tongue over whitened hand, drinking his friend's essence as a low purr escaped his lungs. Angeal was drunk, having had far too many beers provided to him by his old friend, and so the crimson commander took full advantage.

"Genesis…" Angeal murmured, resting one arm over his forehead as the commander slowly removed his scarlet leather jacket. Genesis could not remove the smile conquering his lips, having waited for this moment for so, so long. Ever since they were fourteen and had arrived at the facility, Genesis had wanted to ravish his friend from head to toe, leave him begging and crying out for more of his sweet nectar. Genesis sucked and drank the seed from his skin, making sure to swallow every last drop as Angeal kept his eyes closed, too ashamed of the act to watch.

"You and your fucking honour…" Genesis hissed lowly, pulling off his boots and throwing them across the room, not giving a damn where they fell. He climbed up onto Angeal and mounted him, sitting on his bulging crotch and running his hands under his shirt, pulling it off him in one swift movement, nearly tearing at the fabric as he moved desperately fast, not wanting this moment to ever be lost. Angeal's grip on the couch with one hand tightened, while he still covered his eyes with the other arm, low moans echoing from him as Genesis tweaked and tugged at his nipples upon the haired chest. Genesis could not quite believe this was happening. Angeal had only had around four pints of the beer he had ordered the new cadets bring him. So unless they had spiked it…? Genesis stopped abruptly and ran his tongue over the sweat on Angeal's well toned chest, tasting. No, there were no drugs present in his system, that was for sure. It struck him that he was spending time pondering whether his true love was conscious of the act they were about to engage in, rather than ripping off his clothes and getting on with it. Moving himself so his legs were off the sofa, Genesis bit down on the zipper of the commander's pants and began to tug open the buttons, then the zip. Angeal made no attempt to escape the crimson commander's clutches as he then pulled down his boxers with his teeth, yanking them down until the erection sprang up in his face.

"My my, this hard already, Ang?" Genesis purred, running his fingers up and down the shaft as the commander shuddered under his burning touch. Precum leaked from the tip as Genesis leaned forward, running his tongue tantalisingly from the base to the tip, Angeal letting out a loud groan. He certainly was vocal when he was pleasured, apparently. Genesis closed his eyes and parted his lips, swallowing him whole and sucking. He felt the fingers entwine in his red locks and glanced up, finding the hand Angeal had been using to hold onto the furniture was now placed upon his head, holding him down and moving him back and forth at a steady pace. Flicking his tongue over the skin whilst he sucked, Genesis quickly drove Angeal to the brink of no return as he shuddered convulsively, his movements tightening and fingers nearly ripping out chunks of Genesis' hair. However, the commander was not pleased with Angeal finishing so soon. He pulled away from his friend, noticing Angeal was very much watching from beneath his arm under a shadowed crack between his arm and his face, then turned away with shame.

Genesis licked his lips, saliva running down his chin until he wiped it quickly away, staring down at the commander below him. He ripped off his own trousers and underwear, not caring where they landed either and clambering back on top of the haired man beneath him. Angeal's skin was littered with numerous, varying sized scars, to which Genesis trailed his tongue over every single one of them. He would erase the memories, relieve the pain, give him absolute euphoria to which the commander would never be able to go without again. Pushing a couple of fingers into his opening, Genesis let out a low whine and leaned into Angeal's chest, panting as he prepared himself, as much as he did not desire to. However when he noticed Angeal's hand laying there doing nothing, he managed to pull a small smirk in his moment of agonizing pleasure. He grabbed his friend's hand and positioned it at his opening, then mewled softly to Angeal.

"Please, Ang…"

Soon enough two fingers made their way into his opening. Genesis was beyond delight, moaning as he bit down into Angeal's chest with his teeth, the fingers stretching and scissoring him inside as his old friend aided to prepare him. When the tips of the digits brushed against his point of absolute pleasure, Genesis wailed, releasing his grip with his teeth on Angeal's skin and bucking back into the hand, crying out desperately for more. Angeal let out a grunt and pushed a third finger in, continuing to stroke the prostate buried deep within Genesis' rear, the commanders both lost in one another. Genesis could not, try as he did, hold back his orgasm as it flowed through him, he saw a blinding white light of pleasure and cried out, shivering under Angeal's touch before collapsing onto him.

However, Angeal was not finished. Genesis blinked, murmuring slightly as he felt himself being pulled over onto his back, his legs pushed back as the fingers clawed into his thighs. Genesis' eyes widened when he felt the cock penetrating him. He stared at Angeal in complete disbelief as the man began to thrust into him, lost in ecstasy, his eyes fazed over with drunken pleasure. Genesis hissed as his prostate was hit again, then again, and again, leaving him convulsively moaning. He threw his arms around Angeal's neck and pulled him closer, kissing his lips and begging him entrance to his mouth as he bit his lower lip. Angeal parted his mouth and allowed Genesis' tongue to explore deep within him, grunts coming from him as he slapped his body forward into Genesis' opening. Genesis cried into his mouth as another orgasm washed over him, tightening the muscles in his nether regions and anus, spraying his seed over his waist and Angeal's chest. Angeal gave him a moment to recover before continuing, Genesis biting down on his own wrist and drawing blood which soon began to seep beyond his lips as his fellow commander held onto his legs, drawing closer to his own release. Genesis hung onto him, moaning in utter bliss as Angeal finally let out a low moan, slowing his thrusts until he came to a halt, washing the insides of the red head with his bitter cum. He collapsed on top of Genesis, exhausted and panting for air, Genesis still shivering all over. He kept his arms wrapped around Angeal as he kissed kiss head, whispering into his ear.

"There are no dreams, no honour remains. The arrow has left, the bow of the Goddess."

Zack came crashing into the apartment, an unconscious Cloud Strife on his back. Angeal's eyes opened and Genesis let out a snarl, Zack staring at the two in complete shock, but then shaking his head as he ran past them towards his room. Genesis, furious at their moment being interrupted, waited for Angeal to sit up slightly before snatching his clothes, throwing on his black shirt and pants before hunting Zackary Fair down with blood lust in his eyes.

"Zack, I am going to cut open your bowels and hang you by your own fucking intestines!" Genesis kicked open the bedroom door, finding Cloud Strife lying motionless on his back while Zack had tears flowing from his eyes.

"Genesis, please! Help him!"

Genesis' eyes widened when he saw the blood stained shirt Cloud was wearing. He rushed out of the room, diving into his jacket pockets and pulling out the level three cure materia he always carried before running back and shoving Zack out of the way at the side of the bed, still snarling at him. He ripped the clothing away from Cloud, activating the healing powers of the materia and allowing the wound to quickly heal, the muscle tissue repairing, then the skin sealing together, leaving a thin white scar. Zack fell back onto the floor, hands in his hair as tears continued to pour down his cheeks, Angeal appearing at the doorway and walking towards them.

"What happened?" Angeal demanded, seeming to have completely forgotten his previous acts with the crimson commander as he stood wearing nothing but his trousers.

"I…I don't know…" Zack shook his head, "I couldn't protect him! I failed him, Angeal!"

"Shush Pup." Angeal examined the wound himself, then frowned, "the wound was not that deep. He may have lost a bit of blood, but he was not in any serious danger."

Genesis looked at though he was going to set fire to the unconscious third class on the bed. Angeal sat down on the bed opposite from where Zack was sitting and pressed his hand against Cloud's forehead.

"His temperature feels normal…"

"He looks white as milk." Genesis muttered, "along with other liquids…"

Angeal ignored him and lifted one of Cloud's eyelids.

"Pupils are not dilated… he seems to be in some kind of shock, though." Angeal moved his finger from left to right in front of Cloud's eye, finding no response. He pressed a finger against Cloud's throat just under his jaw, listening to the slow heart beat. Zack watched his mentor with suddenly hopeful eyes, whilst Genesis rolled his own and walked out of the room, but not before letting out a loud, frustrated exhale. Angeal ignored his old friend and turned to Zack once the crimson commander had left them, "he'll be fine, Zack. But what were you playing at?"

"W-what?"

"You should have taken him to the infirmary. This could have been serious."

"No! I mean, I couldn't. I can't." Zack shook his head, pulling himself up off the floor as Angeal raised his eyebrows.

"And why is that?" Zack ignored the numerous scratches and bites on Angeal and looked away from him before replying.

"If the science department got him…"

"Zack. Why would the science department be interested in Strife?" Angeal was much, much more serious now. His eyes had hardened, even towards his beloved pup. Zack ran a hand through his hair.

"He… fell in mako… when he was a kid…"

"And?"

"He's got mako in him, I mean a hell of a lot. If the science department found out, they'd take him…" Zack shook his head, "experiment on him." Angeal stood up from the bed and approached Zack, placing his hands on his apprentice's shoulders.

"Where did you hear this from, Zack?"

Zack looked away, he could not lie to Angeal. But it was either that or tell him Cloud's secret. And he just could not do that.

"I heard from…Kunsel…" he looked away, "some SOLDIERS go missing on the battle field, and their bodies aren't brought back. No one knows what happens to them…"

"Zack, the science department would not be testing on humans." Angeal shook his head, sighing, "I don't know what kind of drugs Kunsel is on, or where he heard those rumours from, but Hollander would never allow such a thing to happen. Lazard would never allow it."

_But they do know, and they do allow it._ Zack thought to himself, but this was not the time to argue with his mentor. He sat back down beside Cloud, Angeal still continuing to frown.

"Where did you find Strife?"

"In the Urban Development offices." Zack murmured his response, Angeal standing over them. Cloud was breathing quietly now, shuffling slightly in his sleep. Zack felt a small smile play at the corner of his lips. He was going to be alright.

"Urban Development? Did he say why?" Angeal narrowed his brow. The Urban Development team had been down at the party with the rest of ShinRa's employees. Why would Cloud go in there?

"He said something about Reeve." Cloud shook his head, "there was this horrible cut on his side, like he'd been sliced through with a sword."

"Zack, what did the cut look like?"

"..What?"

"Explain it fully to me. I will know what weapon caused the wound and we will get to the bottom of who has done this to your friend."

Zack ran a hand through his hair, wracking his brains for some words to describe it.

"It was…clean. Apart from the blood, it was a straight, thin cut, about two inches deep." he shook his head, "I don't see how this helps, Ang."

"It lowers the list of weapon types considerably. From what you've told me, I can correctly assume that this was not a TURK assassination attempt as none of them use swords." Angeal murmured, noticing Genesis standing in the corner of the doorway, listening, "and as most SOLDIERS were at the party, we just have to narrow the list of who was not present around the time Strife would have gained this injury. From the depth and size of the wound, whoever did this did not mean to kill Strife, simply scare him."

Zack nodded weakly, Angeal sighing and turning to walk out of the room. Closing the door, he passed Genesis and said nothing, heading to the kitchen and getting a bottle of milk from the fridge, to which he downed. Genesis followed him, staying a few feet away from him.

"Seems our dear Sephy got carried away." Genesis purred lowly, Angeal finishing the bottle before leaving it in the sink. He turned to the crimson commander, frowning as he passed him to collect his clothes on the floor.

"What are you talking about?"

Genesis noticed how although the commander was collecting his things, he was not mentioning the act they had just committed, "that wound on Strife came from Sephiroth's blade."

Angeal halted when Genesis' foot landed on his belt buckle, stopping him from proceeding any further. He looked up at the sneering red head, eyebrows narrowed into an arch.

"Genesis, what we just did-"

"Was beautiful. The gift of the Goddess."

Angeal exhaled loudly and stood to face the equal height of Genesis, their eyes locking on. The crimson commander ran his tongue over his lower lip slowly, delicately, drawing Angeal in until he growled and pulled away. "It can never happen again."

Genesis had flames running through his fingertips. He grabbed onto Angeal's arm and held him back, glaring into his sapphire eyes.

"Don't do this to me." he warned.

"Genesis, my honour-"

"Your honour doesn't mean a damn!" Genesis snapped, eyes blazing with fury of a scorned lover, "you think honour makes you any better!? You think we're free? We have rights? No! We're all ShinRa dogs at the end of the day! What honour do dogs have!?" he stopped when the hard slap across his cheek silenced him. Angeal stood panting, furious as Genesis turned his head slightly from where he leant, holding the fast developing bruise with one hand.

"Genesis-"

"You will regret that." he hissed, teeth bared as he grabbed his leather jacket and marched out of the apartment, Angeal standing in silence as he did so, holding his shaking hand he had used as a weapon against his oldest friend.


	24. Chapter 24

_AN ;; Oh dear, Angeal, do you really want to make an enemy of the crimson commander? Forgive me for throwing in a sex scene with the pair, it was just too tempting, also made a lot more sense for how the story is about to turn._

_Explanation for Cloud still having Tifa's ribbon ~ it was wrapped around his hand when he fell into the lifestream, and so it was kept, though his clothes were replaced with a cadet uniform. However, because it was Tifa who prayed to the planet to give Cloud a second chance, the ribbon was kept as a token of her ever lasting love for him, and as a small remainder of her spirit in the past world. It'll play a big part later when he finally finds her._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

Slowly cracking open pale eyelids, Cloud's sapphire eyes peered through his blonde eyelashes as he adjusted to the light of the room. He closed his eyes again, letting out a soft sigh as he awoke from the realm of dreams. He could sense that he was in the first class' apartment, however he could not tell if Angeal was nearby, despite his mako enhanced senses. When he heard the soft grunt coming from him, he turned to stare at one sleeping Zackary Fair, his head leaning on the side of the mattress while he sat on a metal chair beside the bed. He had been present by the blonde's side all night, unmoving except from having to shuffle on the spot as his energetic nature begged he get up and run around, but Zack reputed it, refusing to follow his most basic instincts and sat guarding over his friend until the clutches of sleep took him. He seemed at ease, peaceful in his dreams, his arms crossed under his head while he still wore his SOLDIER uniform. Cloud slid his hand over the duvet towards the raven head's hair, then ran his fingers through the soft, sleek black locks. A small smile played on Zack's lips as he murmured in his dreams.

"Mhn, Cloud…"

Cloud immediately withdrew his hand, eyes widening slightly. Zack was dreaming about him? He pulled himself up quietly, hoping not to awaken the second class, then slid out of the bed. He lifted his shirt to stare at the new thin white scar upon his side, just above his hip.

Sephiroth…

Once Cloud had made his escape, positive that the General was out to slice him into a thousand tiny pieces, he had near collapsed in the elevator. The wound was not severe, but from the way his heart was pumping at a hundred beats per second, blood was being pushed out of the cut before it had the chance to clog and heal. He had stumbled out into the crowds of drunken ShinRa employees, who assumed the red stain on his side was from spilling some kind of dark wine. Cloud had managed to make his way forward for a few feet before coming to an abrupt halt, staring at the bearded man as he laughed once before making his excuses to leave.

Reeve Tuesti, head of ShinRa's Urban Development programme, stood merely twenty feet away from him in the hallway, but was making his way out from the crowds, returning to his offices for one last time that day. Cloud had followed, now sure he was not insane, despite his previous mistake with the woman who appeared to him as Tifa. The suited man made his way to his office, not realising the turmoil of the blonde following shortly behind him, pushing his way weakly through the drunken rabble. He had thought he'd seen Aeris in the crowds as well, but had decided it was simply another illusion, another cruel trick his cetra mind was playing on him. When Cloud slid down to the floor with a thud in the hall leading to Reeve's offices, the man had stopped, turning to him.

"Hello?" he approached, first not seeing Cloud in the shadows of the hall, then upon finding him, "Sir! Are you hurt? I will call paramedics immediately!"

"N-no…Reeve…" Cloud shook his head, catching the man's hand as he attempted to pull out the cell phone from his blazer, "Cait…Sith…"

Reeve Tuesti stared down at the SOLDIER with wide, confused eyes. How did this third class know of the robot he had only just started working on in the confines of his personal home? Were the TURKS really watching everyone's every move? He got down on one knee, examining the wound on Cloud's side.

"How do you-?" he pulled his bloodied fingers away from the clean cut on the teenager's body. This boy was far too young to be a SOLDIER, what were the higher ups thinking?

"Save…the planet…" Cloud tightened his fingers on Reeve's jacket sleeve as the man looked from side to side, making sure they were alone, "Lifestream…"

"We can talk in my office," Reeve shook his head and helped Cloud to his feet, not knowing whether he should ignore the blonde's protests and call for aid or listen to the ramblings coming from him, "come on, can you walk?" when Cloud pulled the last of his strength together, Reeve exhaled sharply and helped him struggle down the corridor until they entered his office, allowing the blonde to fall down to the floor yet again. He got on a knee and stared at the third class. His blonde locks were ringing with sweat, his eyes blurred from clear shock. Whoever had done this to the ex cadet had wanted to leave him in terror, and had done just that.

"How do you know of my Cait Sith model?" Reeve Tuesti questioned. This boy was not a TURK, and had no relation to the Urban Development programme, nor any of his family. How he knew of something which he had only just finished drawing the blueprints up of and began to build was near impossible.

"You…helped us…" Cloud held onto the man's arm, as though he would disappear at any given chance, "save the…planet…"

"What are you talking about?" Reeve stared down at the boy in bewilderment. He had not yet voiced his opinions to President ShinRa about the state of the civilians in the surrounding slums, but neither did he have any interest in the lifestream the President obsessed so compulsively over. When the blonde stared him straight in the eyes, placing his hands against the sides of Reeve's face, Reeve's eyes widened.

The memories flooded through him, everything from the very first moment he and the blonde had met in Golden Saucer to their war with the maddened General, the Geostigma, the uprising of Deep Ground, the final battle with the Jenova infected civilians of Midgar…when it was finished Reeve fell backwards, falling against one of the desks and knocking over a computer and it's components, holding his head with one hand as he panted loudly. His eyes widened, the lifestream flowing through him, Reeve stared at the blonde, his lips parted as he struggled for air.

"Cloud…!" Reeve fell to his knees, examining the wound again before ripping off his blazer and pressing it against the cut, trying to stop the bleeding, "Cloud!? How is this possible! We- we were-"

"The lifestream…" Cloud shook his head weakly, "brought me back…to save the world…" when they heard the shout, calling out Cloud's name, Reeve's turned to the doorway, waiting for whoever it was to come charging in. But Cloud gripped his hold onto the man's arm, "Reeve…go…run…."

"I'm not leaving you again!"

"Just go!" Cloud's eyes blazed with sudden fury, radiating sapphire blue as the man fell back slightly. He shook his head, stumbling backwards as he made his way to the end of the office, the opposite doorways beginning to rattle as the SOLDIER came running down the hallway. Reeve disappeared out the other doorway, panting as he tried to fill his lungs with oxygen, the shock pulsing through him. Zack had found Cloud, skidding to a halt and pulling him into his arms before carrying him back to his apartment. Cloud had gone unconscious after that, only just awakening the next morning with the raven head sat unmoving by his side other than when he grunted in his sleep, his chest slowly moving up and down.

"Mhn…Cloud…"

Cloud was now on his feet, walking forwards into the short hallway leading to the living area. He found Zack's mentor Angeal Hewley sitting shirtless and motionless on the sofa, not seeming to notice him as he entered the room. Angeal was holding his cell phone, staring endlessly at it though he were waiting for a call. Cloud noticed the fading scratches and bite marks on his chest but said nothing, knowing it was none of his business. He made his way towards the door, when the sound of Zack shooting awake and rushing through after him made him stop.

"Cloud?! Where are you going?" Zack turned to his mentor, who seemed to be unaware of even his pup being in the same room as him, "Ang, you were just gonna let him leave?!"

Angeal made no response, simply continuing to stare at his phone. Zack let out a frustrated sigh and turned back to Cloud, placing his hands on his shoulders.

"Cloud, who hurt you?" when the blonde shook his head, he audibly growled, "why is everyone acting so weird!?" he grabbed Cloud by his hand and dragged him back to his room, ignoring the twenty three year old sitting on the furniture and pushing Cloud down onto the bed. Cloud said nothing as he landed on his back, Zack soon making his way to sit on top of him. "I'm not letting you up until you tell me who did that to you." Zack muttered, pointing to the scar on Cloud's waist. The blonde sighed softly.

"Zack, it doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters! Someone tried to hurt you, maybe even kill you! It matters to me!" Zack shook his head, in disbelief at how nonchalant Cloud was behaving towards the situation, "you're a cetra! If the science department found out…" he clenched his teeth, "if anyone found out…"

"Zack, the science department didn't do this to me." Cloud tried to push his friend off but found the SOLDIER was not budging. He sighed, "I was sparring with someone and got cut, that's all."

"Who?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes! Cloud, why are you pushing me away?!" Zack pinned Cloud's arms above his head, the blonde watching as the second class scowled at him, "tell me who did this to you!"

"No." Cloud was undeterred from being held captive by his old friend. He refused to tell him, knowing full well that Zack would fly into a rage and most likely go storming to the General's office himself, bent on vengeance.

"Why were you in the Urban Development offices?" Zack tried a different route.

"I saw Reeve. We talked."

"And he left you there?!"

"We thought you were someone else." Cloud murmured, then Zack clenched his fingers down harder on his wrists, near stopping the blood supply to his hands.

"Who. Did. This. To. You?"

Cloud had never seen Zack so angry. His eyes were blazing sapphire mako with fury, his lips pulled away to reveal his teeth in a heavy grimace. He softened his eyes, realising he could not lie to the second class.

"Sephiroth."

Zack was silent as Cloud attempted a shrug.

"It was Sephiroth, alright? He wanted to spar and I thought I could win. I guess I was wrong…"

"Cloud, after your past with him, you did that…?" Zack narrowed his eyes, "he forced you, didn't he?"

"No, Zack."

"Then why on Gaia would you take him on!?" the raven haired was clearly, most definitely anxious, concern flooding from him as he released his hold on the third class ever so slightly, "you were crying only a few days ago because of him! What has he been doing to you?!"

"Nothing! He's done…nothing. I…wanted to fight him." Cloud murmured, sitting up when Zack finally let him go. Zack turned away, sitting on the edge of the bed as Cloud ran a hand through his hair, "there's…something about him…I'm always drawn back to him…"

"Do you love him?"

What? Where had that come from? Cloud stared at Zack with a horrified expression on his features. Love the General? He loathed that man with every fibre of his being. What on Gaia had possessed Zack to ask such a question?

"No." he replied eventually, noticing the raven head was motionless beside him, he ran his hand over Zack's back, pulling him into a small hug, the SOLDIER holding him tightly as he did so. Zack let out a soft sigh, Cloud listening to his racing heartbeat within his thick, heavy chest.

* * *

Sephiroth made no attempt to question the crimson commander's being in his apartment as he entered, finding Genesis lounging on one of his three blue sofas. The apartment was huge, an entire floor being dedicated to the silver haired General himself. The kitchen alone was the size of an office, while the living area was almost as large as President ShinRa's office itself. Genesis seemed incredibly furious at something, scowling at his cell phone before throwing it against the white walls of the General's apartment, the phone cracking to pieces as he did so.

"Refrain from destroying your personal belongings in my living quarters." Sephiroth worded simply as he headed to his bedroom to place Masamune on the stand over his bed, then returned to find Genesis lying on his back on the sofa, having shifted positions as he continued to scowl.

"Fuck off, Sephiroth." Genesis hissed, hair bristling on ends as he glared at the phone shattered on the floor, as though contemplating whether he should attempt to fix it, or set fire to it.

Sephiroth ignored the slanderous reply as he made his way to the desk opposite the sofas, sitting down on the leather chair whilst still in his battle armour. He was not removing any items of clothing while the crimson commander was only eight foot from him, knowing full well of Genesis' perverted nature towards anything with a heartbeat. He pulled out a couple of files and began to sign his name onto dotted lines at the bottom of the pages, before placing them to the side as Genesis let out a sudden, low purr.

"Why did you spare Strife's life?"

Sephiroth continued to sign the paperwork, not turning to face his old friend who most likely was scowling away.

"I would not kill a fellow SOLDIER." he replied with ease, finding no real reason for Genesis' curiosity other than his adoration for gossip. When the crimson commander had shown up at the entrance to his apartment, standing in the hallway with his eyes watering like a rejected schoolgirl, Sephiroth had allowed the man to stay the night on his couch before heading off at six am for a meeting with Lazard. When he had returned three hours later, the commander was still very much present within his apartment, having set fire to the plants in the hallway. Sephiroth had nothing biological in his apartment; it had been a rule since he was only sixteen and first given the space. He was allowed no pets, nor plants. It had not been of an issue to him, it simply meant he did not have to clean up after Genesis' mess when he decided a plant or dog would look better with a touch of fire.

"Come off it. You know exactly what I mean." Genesis sneered, throwing a pillow in Sephiroth's direction, "you say you don't want to be defeated, that Strife will eventually overpower you. Why not just kill him now and save yourself the hassle?" he bared his teeth in a feral smirk, snarling, "have your way with the little shit, then toss his corpse to the science department for Hojo and his rats."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. Genesis hated Strife that much? He turned his chair to face the commander, who was still grinning grotesquely as his lay on his back, playing with a large flame in one of his hands.

"You hate Strife?"

"I hate them all," Genesis hissed bitterly, "every single one of those pathetic runts who think ShinRa is the goddess' gift to Gaia."

Sephiroth said nothing as Genesis began to laugh lowly, suddenly crushing the flame within his hand.

"I'm leaving, Sephiroth."

"Leaving?"

"I will not continue to be a puppet for these miserable humans." he turned his sapphire gaze to the General, shifting a hand through his auburn locks, "I will burn this place to the ground should it come to it."

"Genesis, you know we can never leave."

"Tcht." the crimson commander continued to smirk, turning his gaze away from the General, "you see your sword?"

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes.

"Yes?"

"How many people do you think it has cut through?"

"…I don't see what that has to do with this, Genesis."

Genesis purred with delight, running his tongue over his upper lip as he light another blaze of fire within the cage of his fingers.

"If ShinRa gets in your way, just hack them down like the dogs they are."

Sephiroth was silent as his commander let draw another wicked laugh, seeming to have lost the last of his sanity, his body shaking all over. Sephiroth made no movement to stop Genesis as he suddenly stood, drawing his glistening scarlet sword and holding it towards him, the fire materia coursing through the blade's very core.

"Will you join me, General?" Genesis questioned, tilting his head slightly as he quoted bitterly, "Hero of the dawn, healer of worlds?"

Sephiroth did not flinch at the sight of the crimson commander so openly threatening him with his weapon. He leaned back into his chair, a couple of fingers sliding across the paper on his desk as he did so.

"If you choose this path, Genesis, I will be forced to hunt you down."

"Is that so?" the red head held his blade steady, "do you really think I fear you, Sephiroth?"

"If not for the fear of me," Sephiroth shook his head, "then for the love Angeal holds for you."

"Love!?" Genesis spat, fire radiating from his blade as he glared at the silver haired General, "That man is just as incapable of love as you!"

Sephiroth ignored the spitting commander and stood, approaching him. Genesis made no movement to lower his weapon as Sephiroth ran his hand over the blade, pushing it to the side in one sharp movement and grabbing Genesis' throat with his left hand. He slammed his commander into a wall, Genesis snarling and kicking like a wild animal. Sephiroth held onto him, pressing his thumb down onto the crimson commander's jugular until he dropped his blade. When he started turning purple in the face, Sephiroth released his deathly grip, dropping the auburn to the floor. Genesis coughed loudly as he regained his breath, digging his fingers into the floor beneath him. Sephiroth stood over him, looking down at the rebuked man with pity. What had driven Genesis to such lengths of madness?

"I will…revel…" Genesis hissed lowly, teeth bared, "in dying by the hand…of one such as…you…" grabbing his sword, he pulled himself up, stumbling slightly as he did so, "but I swear… I will take Angeal down _screaming_ before my last breath…"

Sephiroth's eyes widened as the crimson commander sneered, running his free hand across his neck, twisting his head slightly as he began to back away towards the door. Genesis escaped from his sight, leaving the General to stare at the spot where he had held his old friend so ruthlessly against the wall.


	25. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

"Die, ShinRa dogs!"

Cloud readied his sword as the AVALANCHE leader rushed towards him, katana in hand and fury in her eyes. Reno lay battered on his side, blood running from his lip as he was held down by a couple of men, grinning wickedly at the blonde as their leader came charging towards him, intent on putting him down. He bitterly recalled how he had come to this exact moment in his new life.

Having convinced Zack he was able to return to work, the man had eventually allowed him to leave the apartment after a few hours of trying to provoke some sort of response from Angeal, who continued to sit staring at his cell phone without acknowledging their presence in the apartment. Cloud had tried smile sympathetically to his friend, who just sat watching Angeal from the opposite sofa, arms crossed and a frown on his features. Cloud made his way quietly out of the room, leaving the two raven haired men to themselves. When the twelve o'clock, lunch hour bell rang, Cloud had made his way down the elevators to the cafeteria to grab something to eat and promptly been tackled to the floor by one infamous TURK.

Grinning wildly, Reno knuckled a fist into Cloud's blonde spikes as he clung onto him, Cloud grunting when he tried to get up but could not due to the TURK placing a foot on his back.

"Aha! TURKS will forever reign supreme!" Reno sniggered, before scowling at the SOLDIERS sitting at the cafeteria tables around them. He allowed the third class to get to his feet, brushing down dirt from his knees. "Yo, you're late."

"Late?" Cloud frowned, then Reno held the cell phone in front of his face.

"Orders from Tseng! I was told to bring two third classes along with me, but seeing as you got promoted so early into your training, I convinced Tseng I'd only need you, yo." Cloud read the text before nodding once, the TURK looking him up and down, "you're gonna need a weapon for this. We figured out who the kids sold that wallet too." Reno informed.

Cloud made his way towards the exit of the cafeteria, deciding he would pick up a sword from the training rooms, when he was stopped by the bald TURK, a hand holding him in place in front of his walkway. As Cloud turned to look at the tall man, a broadsword was held in front of him. He took it and nodded, Rude saying nothing as he shifted to the side to allow them to pass, Reno grinning away like a wild cat as he sprinted in front of the blonde SOLDIER to lead the way. Once they had passed through the entrance hall and out onto the stairs, Reno turned to Cloud, grinning.

"This is gonna be fun, yo."

Cloud raised an eyebrow, not really sure he was going to enjoy what the dishevelled red head called 'fun'. They boarded the sector eight train and sat in silence other than the small snickers coming from the TURK as he terrorised civilians sitting nearby them, the people knowing full well a ShinRa assassin when they saw one. Reno eventually left them alone when most of them jumped off at the next platform, despite whether it was their stop or not, just desperate to get away from the vicious seventeen year old. Reno grinned and flopped down onto the steel seat next to Cloud.

"You're gonna need all your fancy SOLDIER skills for this mission, yo." the red head informed, wiping a finger across his goggles as Cloud turned to him.

"Who has the wallet?" the blonde sighed sharply when Reno simply sneered back at him.

"Now, that would be spoiling the fun!"

Cloud rolled his eyes.

When they got off in the sector three slums, Cloud noticed the looks of pure hatred he received from the civilians as they lay in poverty and waste, the TURK seeming entirely nonchalant about the situation they were in. Cloud kept close to the older teen as he lead the way through the crowds, who shouldered and pushed past the third class as he attempted to keep up with Reno. Eventually he ran up to Reno's side, frowning.

"Why is everyone staring at us?" he asked quietly, the red head snorting as he tapped his metal baton against his shoulder.

"New residents in this slum have been having lots of fun spreading rumours about ShinRa," Reno informed, drooping an arm around Cloud's shoulders to pull him closer when the third class was nearly knocked over by a large man, "just stick with me, yo. We'll be fine. These people are piss scared of the TURKS."

"And SOLDIERS?" Cloud was unsure whether he should have asked when he received Reno's response.

"They fucking hate 'em."

Cloud came to an abrupt halt when Reno stopped, holding him steady when they stopped to stare up at the huge abandoned apartment complex. Blonde hair rippling in the sudden wind that came tumbling down the street, it seemed suddenly very, very quiet, the crowds having moved away from them. Reno was grinning characteristically, tapping his baton against his shoulder.

"Looks like we're expected." he released his hold around the third class' shoulders, "let's not keep 'em waiting, yo."

Cloud followed him in as Reno shoved open the door, the wood falling from it's hinges and crashing to the floor. So much for sneak tactics. Reno strolled into the entrance hall, finding the place empty. The walls were ripped and torn at all edges, while sudden drops in the floor where the wooden boards had rotted away threatened to plummet them into the darkness below. With every step Reno took the wood beneath them groaned with their weight, Cloud trying to keep as far away from the holes as possible. He stood waiting for Reno as the redhead leapt over the office desk and began to rummage through old paperwork and files, finding nothing of use as he opened up drawers onto the floor. Cloud thought he heard the floorboards wailing again from over by the staircase, but when he turned to examine the darkness beyond, he found nothing. His mako enhanced senses listening, he could not sense the presence of anything larger than a few rats scurrying in the walls around them. Reno made his way back over to him, holding the wallet in his hands.

"Found the wallet."

"Let's get out of here then." Cloud muttered, his broadsword drawn as he heard another creak coming from above them.

"Missing the key cards, yo." Reno gestured to the stairs, "we're gonna have to go up."

Cloud made his way forward, following behind the TURK as he slid the wallet into his jacket pocket, tapping the steel baton against his shoulder as he walked with a near constant slouch. They made their way slowly up the stairwell, Cloud hearing footsteps as they reached the first floor. He turned and searched the shadows with his blazing sapphire eyes, but found nothing but the seemingly endless emptiness. Reno was in his environment, making his way forward through the shadows, only his bright red ponytail and the flickering of the metal baton on his shoulder allowing Cloud to see where he stood as he followed close behind. They made their way up the stairs again to the second floor, finding nothing but abandoned corridors leading to dingy rooms and torn down wallpaper. Reno made no noise as they walked onward, though that feral grin stayed present on his lips, the silent hyena undeterred by the quietness. Cloud held his sword steady as he stopped every few moments, nearly tripping into holes in the floorboards, the sound of the creaking wood beneath their feet the only sign of any life in the building.

They continued this way until they reached the twenty third floor, when Cloud saw a pair of eyes within the darkness. He held his blade steady and moved forward to attack when Reno held out his arm, shaking his head as the face disappeared into the blackness once again. Cloud said nothing as Reno pressed a finger against his lips, then let out a yell.

"Yo, AVALANCHE! You gonna come greet us or what?!"

Cloud felt his heart do flips in his chest. They were taking on AVALANCHE? The eco terrorism group had not been led by Barret until much later, though he had been told by his friend of the woman who had been AVALANCHE'S leader long before him. And from what he had been told, she was not the type of woman you wanted as an enemy. He stopped as he heard a soft laugh echoing through the darkness, then suddenly the room lit up, the lights being switched on. Cloud nearly fell back as the men surrounded them, beginning to laugh lowly as the two ShinRa employees stood. On a wooden chair in the middle of the room sat a slim woman, a prominent apathetic expression on her face beneath crimson brunette locks. She did not smile as Reno held out his baton towards her, grinning cockily.

"Well well, if it isn't Elfé, leader of this rabble," the TURK mused, tilting his head slightly to the side as his tongue protruded from his lips, "to what do we owe the honour, yo?"

Elfé was silent as she examined the two teenagers before her, her eyes darkening considerably even beneath the artificial light of the apartment complex. The AVALANCHE members around them began to slowly circle around them, flanking as more men appeared from the rooms and the stairs behind them, the wood creaking loudly under the sudden weight of them all. The legendary leader replied, the laughing silencing as she held up one of her hands.

"I did not expect ShinRa to send children." Elfé muttered, causing the AVALANCHE members to chuckle lowly, Reno still grinning as Cloud kept his face solemn, "go back to your mothers, tell ShinRa to send me dogs, not pups."

Cloud ignored the jester coming from the surrounding terrorists as Reno simply sniggered lightly, drawing glares from the men around them.

"You have something that belongs to us." the red head replied cockily, "I'd appreciate it if you'd give them back before this gets messy."

Elfé did not smile at the threat. She continued her passive stare, then blinked. Reno was set upon, tackled to the ground and battered by a group of four AVALANCHE members, kicking and punching him into submission. Reno spat out blood after they backed away, wiping his lip with the sleeve of his suit.

"That wasn't very nice, yo."

"I will not show compassion to ShinRa dogs." she responded simply, ignoring the TURK as she kept her eyes on the blonde before them. "This one…is interesting." she narrowed her eyes, the men around Cloud beginning to get closer. Cloud leapt forward and slashed his sword through the wood, nearly cutting open a couple of AVALANCHE members as he drove them back from the fallen TURK. Reno smirked and nodded in appreciation as he got up to one knee, wiping his lip.

"How old are you, SOLDIER?" the woman questioned, holding onto the pommel of her katana as Cloud turned his sapphire gaze to her, "to be so naïve, protecting a ShinRa assassin."

"It matters not." Cloud replied lowly, still holding onto his sword, "I wont let you hurt my friends."

Elfé frowned considerably.

"ShinRa dogs do not have honour. They have no loyalty, no compassion. They are nothing but murderous parasites, draining the planet of it's life." she replied, her voice steady as the men slowed their circling, coming to a halt as their leader abruptly stood, "you would give aid to such cause?"

"I'd lay my life down for SOLDIER." the blonde third class stood steady as Reno pulled himself to his feet, running a hand through his hair as the bruises upon his face slowly began to show as dark red, blackening in the middles.

Elfé slowly removed her blade from it's sheath, her men backing away as she did so, sparks flying as she withdrew it completely and held it in the air before the blonde.

"So be it…" she whispered, her eyes suddenly widening, blazing with the fury of a thousand dragons, "die, ShinRa dogs!"

Cloud and Reno leapt to the side as the blade slashed down on them, Reno falling to the right and nearly sliding down the staircases as he head butted into a couple of AVALANCHE members, throwing them out of his way. "Cloud, you hold her off! I'll get the key cards!" the TURK avoided a punch coming in his direction, twisting out of the way and slamming his baton into the back of the man's head, then making his way up the stairs, promptly followed by around forty terrorists.

Cloud landed to the left on one knee, holding his sword up above his head as Elfé's blade collided with his own, sparks flying from the metal as it ground together. Cloud bit down on his lip, pushing back the weapon from his own as the AVALANCHE leader's true strength shown through, the materia embedded in her arm giving her the same power as a first class SOLDIER. Elfé grimaced as he pushed her attack back, leaping away from her blade as it hacked into the wall behind him, slashing clean through the concrete and wood. Cloud landed behind her and swung his sword, sending a blur of grey power towards her. Elfé dodged with ease, rushing towards him at full speed. Cloud slashed his broadsword upward through the floorboards, large splinters flying into the air and causing the woman to skid to a halt to cover her face. Cloud took the opportunity and lunged towards her, slashing his blade down on her own. Elfé blocked his attack, snarling at the surrounding AVALANCHE members.

"What're you doing just standing there?! Go find the other one!" they raced past them as the blades released sparks, Cloud's eyes narrowing as she pushed him back across the floorboards slightly. The blonde dove his foot into the ground, shoving back against her, not hearing the wood wailing beneath them. The two fell through the floor as it gave way beneath them, crashing down a few floors as they went straight through wood. Cloud landed on his feet, while the AVALANCHE leader landed on her back, letting out a cry of agony as a large splinter went through her thigh. Elfé pulled herself up with ease, ignoring the blood which began to pour from the wound, she clenched a hand down into the wood and yanked it out, causing gore to spray out. She ground down her teeth, biting her lower lip as she readied for Cloud's next attack.

"Run."

Elfé's eyes widened as Cloud lowered his blade, ignoring the shouts of protest coming from five floors above them, the men beginning to race down to rescue their leader.

"I told you to find the other one!" Elfé shouted angrily to her men, causing them to stop and turn back, realising their leader did not require their help. She turned her cold glare back to the third class, her sword held steady before her, "what did you just say?"

"Run. I will say you can escaped before I could apprehend you." Cloud told her, the woman narrowing her eyes at this.

"And why would you do that, dog?"

"I have no quarrel with you, Elfé." Cloud noticed how she narrowed her eyes tighter as she heard him address her by name, "we came for the key cards, not you."

"I would rather die than flee a battle with ShinRa scum!" rushing forward again, the AVALANCHE leader slammed her katana down on Cloud's broadsword, the blonde holding steady. However as the materia in her arms glistened with power, the woman believing she would be the victor, Cloud's eyes blazed sapphire with mako. He pushed with all his might, sending Elfé flying six foot in the air. He leapt up after her, slashing his sword down repeatedly. The brunette tried to cut away the strikes but was caught by the last blur of grey, falling back onto her back once more. She groaned as she hit the floorboards, the wood creaking beneath her as it threatened to give way. Cloud's entire body was glowing a light blue aura, the power in him growing by the second. Elfé stared at him in disbelief, pulling herself up as he made no attempt to get closer to her. She staggered to the side slightly, the wound in her thigh beginning to make her limp.

"What kind of monster _are_ you?" she murmured lowly, eyes narrowed into slits as the blonde lowered his sword again.

"The one who does not want to keep fighting." he replied, "the one Hojo created, just like you."

Elfé hearing a shout come from the floors above as three men went flying down the space between the stairs, colliding with the floor below with a heavy thud.

"Cloud! I got the key cards!"

Elfé visibly scowled, Cloud approaching her with heavy steps, the floorboards wailing beneath their weight.

"I will deal with ShinRa, but I need you alive for the final battle." Cloud murmured to her, the woman staring at him in confusion.

"You are one of us?" she questioned, Cloud nodding.

"Fuhito is using you, Elfé. He plans on using the Zirconiade materia in your arm to destroy the planet."

"What…?" she suddenly snarled, "Fuhito helped me! He wants to save the planet! He-"

"He wants to wipe out every living human on this planet." Cloud replied, the woman shaking her head, "I know you don't believe me, daughter of Veld, but please, stay alive until I need your aid."

"I will never help you." she hissed, though her eyes widened slightly at the sound of the man Veld's name. The blonde turned as he heard Reno's footsteps rushing down the stairs. Elfé began to back away, then turned and ran down the stairs, disappearing from sight. Cloud was steady where he stood, waiting for the TURK to come charging down.

Reno rushed towards him, grabbing his arm and pulling.

"What're you doing standing there?! They're right behind me! Run!"

Reno dragged Cloud along behind them as the apartment complex began to shudder, then shake violently as they rushed down the stairs, missing steps as they sought to escape as quickly as possible. Cloud noticed the explosives planted on the desk at the side of the entrance as they dived out of the doors, the count down nearly over. They ran out onto the empty street, being thrown to the ground when the building burst into flames, the explosion shaking Gaia herself as the skies lit up with red. Smoke began to billow out of the destroyed apartment complex, the sound of terrified screams all around them causing Cloud to pull himself to his feet. He helped Reno to his feet, avoiding the crowds that began to gather and watch from a distance at the burning building, stumbling into an alleyway before both teenagers fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for air, the smoke still very much present in their lungs.

"Did you…get… the key cards…?" Cloud panted, coughing into his hands as he dropped his sword. Reno smirked as he gasped for air, a laugh escaping him as he held up the two plastic black cards, the red diamond of ShinRa confirming them to being the cards which belonged to one Reeve Tuesti. Cloud leaned back, holding his head with his hands as Reno coughed again, spitting out murk from his body.

_AN ;; Cloud making plans already? Seems Sephiroth's not the only one who's been plotting for future conquests. I'll have Veld appear sometime later, as I've made Reno the second in command of the Midgar TURKS, but Veld will be second command of another branch. Tseng is overall leader of the TURKS, though. Different from the official storylines, but this is a fanfiction after all. (and i've never played Before Crisis, so i'm working on literally nothing here)._

_Please enjoy, both Sephiroth and Cloud will be appearing in the next chapter. _


	26. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

Two weeks passed quickly for the SOLDIERS of ShinRa. Cloud had been on elevator duties for the past four days, leaving his legs burning from standing still for eight hour shifts, and his mind aching for battle. Having survived the onslaught of AVALANCHE, Reno had handed the key cards to the legendary TURK leader, Tseng, when they were found in sector one heading back to the ShinRa facility. The TURKS had appeared out of seeming nothingness, leaving Cloud bewildered and agitated, holding a hand on the pommel of his broadsword. Reno had grinned when Tseng approached them, holding out his hand. The dishevelled red hair of the young TURK rippled in the wind coming from the plates above as he handed the cards to his leader, before turning and grinning to Cloud, telling him he'd see him another time before running off after the disappearing TURKS, leaving the blonde alone with his thoughts. His phone had rang shortly after that, with Reeve Tuesti's caller ID showing up. Cloud answered and arranged to meet with the head of Urban Development the next day.

Explaining to Cait Sith's creator of how the lifestream had chosen him as it's newest champion was far easier than Cloud had first thought. The ever willing to learn mind of Reeve understood and accepted Cloud's explanation, but not without asking a few of his own questions. He had pledged his loyalty to the blonde yet again, telling him he would forever be his ally, and that once he had the Cait Sith robot completed he could use it to contact the others of their old team, before he had made his way back to his office, leaving Cloud to look at the numbers listed on his phone. Aeris, Zack, and Reeve. Three down, a hell of a load to go.

On his second week and first day of elevator duties, whilst standing opposite a third class roommate, Cloud's phone had again vibrated in his pocket. He checked the caller ID and had never seen the number before. Excusing himself to the bathroom, Cloud held the phone to his ear, only to hear the voice of Elfé. She told him she had disposed of Fuhito, her adoptive father, having found the blueprints of his schemes in his office in Cosmo Canyon. She told him she did not know nor care who he was, but if he was willing to fight by her side against ShinRa, she would call him her ally. Cloud did not tell her of how he came to be in the world and simply nodded, telling her he would call her with any plans he had that she could help with, telling her to stay clear from ShinRa for now. Despite her initial protests, the leader of AVALANCHE agreed, telling him she would gather her members across the world when he gave her the call. Cloud hung up, then returned to his duties. Four.

After the clock hit it's fifth hour past twelve, Cloud let out a sigh, allowing the next third class to take over his duties as he made his way through the entrance lobby. Grabbing a broadsword from the racks in the training rooms once he got out of the metal elevator, he made his way through the underground facility, looking for a free room away from the other occupied simulators. When he noticed room 49 was currently engaged, the door lit up red to warn anyone who may try to enter of the training going on ahead, he turned, looking in through the observation booth. His eyes widened considerably upon viewing the shirtless man in the room.

The silver General's every movement was graceful, controlled, precise, having been repeated a thousand times over with perfection. The deep muscles upon his chest and arms, tinged with a damp, warm sweat, rippled with each strike of his seven foot blade, his mouth kept in a stern, stoic line as he trained. He slid the Masamune through the air as though he were cutting through water, the blade singing a song of cold death as it sliced blue pixels into shattered nothingness. His godly hair washed through the wind created from each cut of the sword, lime green irises locked on to his legendary weapon as he effortlessly defeated the unreal monsters as they lunged towards him. Cloud found himself captivated, staring in as his sapphire eyes glistened with awe. This was the General he had adored as a child, the one he had desired to be as great as, the one he had always wished to impress. Sephiroth stopped after a while, running his right hand through his hair from his forehead, eyes closed as he inhaled the stale air of the ShinRa facility. Cloud felt his heart beating faster in his chest as he took in the scene, a strange sensation running through his lowers and causing his thighs to tighten considerably. His lips parted, he was motionless, refusing to blink in case he missed a single moment of beauty. When Sephiroth let a soft smile cross over his lips, Cloud's heart near collapsed with agony. The man he feared so much, the one who had stolen his everything…this was not the same man. This was a beautiful prince, a warrior of the planet, one Cloud desired with all his heart to hold in his arms and cling to as he glided through the lifestream. The General tilted his chin toward slightly, still smiling, and spoke.

"Cloud."

The third class' eyes widened as Sephiroth turned to where he stood, seeming to stare right through the one way glass, piercing Cloud's resolve and leaving him as nothing more than a trembling, excited, terrified fifteen year old. The door lights changed colour from red to a bright green, signalling that he could enter, the formulated mission complete. Cloud walked into the room with heavy steps, holding the broadsword in his hands as Sephiroth stood motionless other than the slit pupils of his eyes following Cloud's every movement. The blonde held his blade steady as the General began.

"I was told of your recent mission with the TURKS." Sephiroth's voice gave no hint of any emotion. It was like he was a machine, perfectly adapted within a mortal skin, but unable to convey any true humanity.

Cloud's eyes moved to the ever glinting Masamune, the blade seeming to taunt him, beg him to strike his sword against it, create sparks which flew in their thousands. He turned his sapphire irises back to the General, who continued to watch him like a hawk.

"You allowed the AVALANCHE leader to escape?" Cloud did not know what machinations Sephiroth was constructing in his mind, replying cautiously.

"Our mission was to retrieve the key cards, not apprehend Elfé."

"Yet your loyalty to SOLDIER did not urge you to pursue her?" Sephiroth's eyes glinted with amusement, Cloud narrowing his own.

"I hardly think ShinRa has anything to fear from a mere girl, sir." Cloud replied frostily, the sudden swing of the Masamune colliding with his own blade as he automatically held up his broadsword to block the attack. Sephiroth was steady, running his blade over Cloud's, the sound of metal against metal singing softly throughout the room.

"That woman is no mere girl."

Cloud felt a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips and couldn't help but reply with his own observations.

"Anyone would think you were afraid of her, sir."

Sephiroth said nothing, his feline slits sharpening as he took the blonde in. A mere third class was mentally assessing him? Now this was interesting. Did Strife not say he hated him? This must be his attempt to rile him, to make him attack. Did the third class not realise he was no match for him? Or was he simply goading him into attacking due to some sort of masochistic nature? He slid the tip of Masamune closer to Cloud's face, flashing his sword to slash the blonde's sword out of his hands, then pressing it against his cheek. Cloud did not stop him as he held the blade, running it slowly down his beautiful face before moving towards his throat, moving his head up as he balanced his sword under Cloud's chin.

"You think your words harm me, Cloud?" the legendary General watched Cloud's reactions with precise, near obsessive nature, wondering what statement the fifteen year old would make next.

"I was simply observing, not insulting you, sir." Cloud replied, feeling the tip of the sword against his adam's apple. He did not raise his arms, keeping them by his sides, the broadsword close to his right foot. He waited until Sephiroth made his next move, then when the sword began pressing further into his skin, he ducked down, avoiding the sudden swing of Masamune's blade above him and using his foot to slid his sword closer to him, turning and grabbing it with his hand, slashing backward to stop the General's katana from piercing his spine. He twisted round, holding the blade with both hands, Sephiroth smiling slightly.

"That sword does not suit you, Cloud." he lowered his own weapon, turning his eyes from the blonde and towards the first class weapon rails.

Cloud followed his gaze and held the broadsword closer to the ground, realising the General was telling him to get something better. He walked past him, pressing a button on the wall to activate the weapon rails. His eyes widened when he saw the buster sword hidden amongst a line of other complex swords. His fingers twitched, he placed the broadsword against the wall and slid his hand into the weapon rail, tightening his grip on the halt of the sword before pulling it out. The weight of the buster sword was not as heavy as the one he inherited from Zack, but it still felt good in his hands. He turned, facing the General with a sudden burst of confidence flowing through him, lightening the weight in his legs as he walked forward, stopping at the edge of the Masamune's blade which was now levitating in the air, held by the silver haired man. His arch nemesis continued to smile, seeming to approve of his weapon choice. Cloud did not receive such a moment for long.

* * *

"Why did you attack them!?"

The crimson commander raised an eyebrow at this, turning to face one Zackary Fair, having set fire to a couple of ShinRa employees, ignoring the sound of the alarms going off and spraying water down upon them as they rolled in agony on the floor before ceasing all movement, leaving the corridor in silence other than the sound of the water pouring down. In his trail, corpses lay broken and slaughtered, blood stained his face, running down as the water soaked him. Genesis held his materia infused blade in one hand, while the other was on fire, a ball of magma levitating upon his palm. Zack's hand automatically made it's way towards his own broadsword, running the fingers over the hilt before gripping down as Genesis let out a low hiss.

"Dreams of morrow…hath the shattered soul…" he readied his blade, running the burning fingers across the encrypted sword, "pride, is lost. Wings, stripped away. The end…is nigh."

"Cut the crap Genesis!" Zack snapped, swinging one arm to the side, "why are you doing this!?" he had exited the glass elevator onto floor forty nine and found around a dozen SOLDIERS lying motionless on the floor before him, one of them being Kunsel. He had searched for a pulse and found one, but it was faint, as he tried calling Angeal but his call was ignored. Zack followed the blood at a frantic run and came upon the crimson commander standing over the bodies of some innocent people, the smell of burning flesh wafting through the corridors to where he stood. He ignored the scent, holding back bile in his throat by swallowing it down, refusing to tear his glare from the auburn haired man.

"You are nothing but a slave, Zack." Genesis turned those crazed sapphire eyes towards the raven head, a feral grin across his lips, "our being is meaningless! We are but monsters, created by the hand of men!"

"Genesis…" Zack shook his head, grimacing, "what have they done to you!?"

"Done to me?" Genesis let draw a low cackle, his teeth bared, "they have done nothing to me. _He_ took everything from me."

Suddenly a blaze of fire rushed towards Zack. Zack cut through it with his sword, slashing through the flames, only to have his blade colliding with Genesis', the first class glaring through him as though he were some insignificant insect in his way. Zack held his sword steady but could feel the flames escaping from the blade, causing his sword to turn red as it began to boil, sparks flying between them as Genesis continued to grin at his peril. His fingers suddenly burning, the stench of cooking flesh and melting steel brimming his nostrils, Zack leapt back, landing with ease and readying his sword, ignoring the burns on his hand as he held the melting sword. Genesis stared down at him from a short distance away, eyes widened with insanity.

"My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I?" he readied the fire materia in his hand, causing the flames around Zack's feet to suddenly grow in size, "all that awaits you…is a sombre morrow!" the flames engulfing the second class, Zack rolled forward to escape being burned alive, falling to his hands and knees as Genesis' sword pressed against his throat, turning his head up to face him, "No matter where the winds may blow…"

Zack grimaced as he felt the blood running down his throat from the small cut Genesis was making as he held him in place.

"He loves you…" the crimson commander murmured, Zack watching as the dark wing emerged from beneath Genesis' scarlet coat, feathers glistening red within the flames. The raven head swallowed, feeling the sword pressing further into his flesh, he noticed the flickering of metal behind the commander, Genesis suddenly sneering as he created a plume of flames within his free hand and aimed it towards the second class.

A bullet went coursing through the commander's arm, blood splattering out across the wall as he fell back in agony, yelling in outrage. Zack leapt to his feet and grabbed onto his sword, sliding to a halt beside the TURK leader as he held his gun pointed at the commander.

"Commander Genesis Rhapsodos. You have committed crimes against Midgar, it's people and ShinRa. You are to be brought to the President himself for questioning." Tseng ordered, Zack standing by the suited man's side as he wiped the blood from his throat, "alive, or dead."

Genesis sneered as staggered back into the middle of the forty ninth floor's hallway, the huge wing on his back still present as he began to back away. His sword was held towards them, challenging them to come closer, to take him on, his eyes blazing with the same fury the fires around him engulfing the facility bore.

"Even…if the morrow…is barren of promises…" Tseng and Zack did not move forward as the commander began to back further away towards the glass windows, Tseng holding his phone to his ear and ordering the command, "nothing shall forestall…my return." Genesis whipped round and leapt through the glass, dodging the bullets that came hurtling towards him as he plummeted towards the ground, wing spreading out as black feathers pulled away in the sudden speed he was at. Zack ran to the shattered glass, searching the darkness of the night below for the commander, noticing the TURKS all positioned in vary places around the facility with snipers readied. Zack fell back as Genesis suddenly flew upwards past him, a gust of feathers and wind in his trail. The crimson commander disappeared above the facility, avoiding more bullets that were fired at him as he flew away, escaping capture.

Tseng approached Zack at a slow pace, still holding his phone as the second class stared out into the sky where Genesis had disappeared into.

"Commander Genesis Rhapsodos has evaded capture. He is now listed as AWOL and an enemy to ShinRa."

* * *

The katana slashed above Cloud's head as he ducked, avoiding another deadly attack as the General smirked, enjoying every moment of the fight. Cloud's sword collided with his own repeatedly, the boy constantly on the defence as he struck time and time again, sparks flying from the blades. Cloud slid under the General's legs at one point, nearly cutting open his heels if he had not leapt out of the way, black boots blurring in his speed as the two mako enhanced beings fought for their lives. The blonde steadied his blade and rushed forward again, his buster sword striking against the Masamune again. Sephiroth leaned closer to the fifteen year old, that signature smirk playing upon his lips.

"Will you keep fighting me, Cloud?" Cloud's eyes locked onto his, his face in an emotionless blank, "drop to your knees, beg for forgiveness."

Cloud shoved his blade back, refusing to back down.

"I will never surrender to you, Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth simply smirked. This was exactly what he wanted to hear. He pushed forward, sending Cloud flying backwards, hitting against the wall of the training room. Cloud slid down onto his rear, one knee up as he struggled to get back to his feet, but the silver General was already on him. His sword piercing through yet another shirt, he pulled him up as Cloud's hands suddenly clenched around the blade, drawing blood. My my, it seemed Cloud Strife really was a bit of masochist. Sephiroth held him in the air, and although his blade had not entered the boy's flesh, Cloud held onto it himself, as though he was re-enacting some sort previous fight. Cloud glared down at the General, who simply kept the smirk upon his lips, thoroughly infatuated with the blonde. Cloud twisted his body, swinging his sword into the Masamune and escaping, the blade cutting through the fabric of his clothes. He landed and rushed forward as the General's blade was faced away from him, sliding to the side and slashing upward, cutting through Sephiroth's side. Sephiroth stopped moving entirely as Cloud skidded to a halt, still on one knee, panting loudly, the blood staining his blade, running in red droplets from the edge. Sephiroth looked at the small cut in his side, just above his waist. Exactly where he had cut into Cloud a few weeks previous. He turned to the boy, who was awaiting his next attack with blazing sapphire eyes. Lowering his sword slightly, the General contemplated whether he should cut Cloud again in payment for this single scar upon his body, or if he should pin him to the wall and ravage him right there. However, he was a composed being, not affected by the simple desire of lust. As Cloud raised himself slightly for the next attack, alarms sounded throughout the facility.

Cloud got up and looked around, confused to as why the alarms were sounding. They were not the fire alarms, but sounded like a strange, pitching scream being repeated over and over as the rooms all flashed red. He felt the hand running over his chest and was paralysed as the General's fingers stopped by his throat, holding him in place as the Masamune glinted dangerously by his side.

"You have scarred me, Cloud…"

Cloud swallowed. Was he supposed to apologise? He was simply returning the favour. Though he had noticed the General's body was sheer perfection, without a single scar or blemish upon his frame. Had he been the one to give Sephiroth his first real wound? He felt the man's front pressing against his back, Cloud's legs shaking. Why did his heart feel like it was going to break from his chest when he came into contact with his arch nemesis? Like he was lost in a time vortex, unable to breath from the lack of oxygen. His legs shuddering near constantly; as though he would collapse to the floor at any given second. His lips; parting and mouth drying as a burning desire quaked his very core.

"But this is not the time for vengeance…" Sephiroth murmured, releasing Cloud from his capture and stepping past him, leaving the blonde third class shaking in the spot, "it seems Genesis has finally broken from the cage…"

Cloud managed to get enough oxygen into his aching lungs to respond.

"Why do you do this to me?"

Sephiroth did not glance back at him as Cloud shuddered with a sudden rage coursing through him.

"What have I ever done to you!? Why do you torment me so!? Why…why do I feel like this?" a hand ran through his hair, sweat running from his skin as Cloud stood shaking behind the General. Sephiroth was smirking, his eyes filling with dark desires as he examined Cloud's words.

"I do not wish to hear your confession just yet, Cloud." General Sephiroth replied, walking out of the training room as the blonde stood there juddering in confusion.

"I _hate_ you…"

Sephiroth said nothing as he left the blonde alone with his thoughts, promptly collapsing to his knees as the sound of the alarms were drained from his mind, confusion, terror, hate, and lust pouring through his veins.

_AN ;; Poor Cloud doesn't quite know what to feel for the General. He has hated him so much for so long, but have those feelings changed when his spirit was reborn through the lifestream?_

_Meanwhile we have a heartbroken Genesis losing the will to carry on and turning on ShinRa, killing everyone he comes across, even trying to end the life of Angeal's puppy out of jealousy for him. Poor poor Genesis._

_I'm very cruel to characters. I'm sorry._

_Review, yes? :)_


	27. Chapter 27

_AN ;; do not rant at me for making Genesis turn on ShinRa. Be patient and wait to see how the story goes on, instead of flying to conclusions. You seem to be forgetting that ShinRa is killing /the planet/. Genesis would have turned on them sooner or later in this story, I simply chose to make it now. He is selfish, arrogant and autocratic, but he is also /heart broken/. Angeal just messed with his head and now he's gone AWOL, for he saw what ShinRa was really like but chose to stay for the sake of Angeal. As soon as he lost him, he had no reason to stay. So please refrain from getting angry if one of your favourite characters does something you don't like. I am keeping them in character and making the story seem realistic, rather than just a parody of the main series. This is a paradox world from Cloud's original one, after all. My pairings are my own personal favourites, with Cloud x Sephiroth, and Cloud x Zack. If you have a problem with that, it's of no concern to me. I like the couples and I will keep them that way. Genesis x Angeal is also a favourite of mine, but I'm focusing this story mainly on the General and one adorable blonde. They'll have their own story called 'Crimson Regret' which I will work on at a later stage. Anyway, rant over._

* * *

_I'd like to thank some certain reviewers for making me want to continue this story, despite my initial nerves;_

_CreateInsanity - I love waiting to see your reviews. Your opinion is unique and often makes me giggle. I really appreciate how you review often, dropping a review every few chapters. You were one of my first reviewers and so I'd like to personally thank you and hope you keep reviewing me, and of course, enjoying the story!_

_K-Chan - thank you for your most recent review. I update frequently because writing is the only thing that keeps me going in this world, really. Depression sucks ass. I'd rather spend a few hours writing every night than going out to some dingy bar and get wasted with people I don't even care for. Anyway, love how you review very often as well :)_

_JollyBigSis - my sexy British friend xD your reviews make me laugh and really keep me going to write this story. Also, I LOVE your YuGiOh fanficts! Read a couple of them and can say you are a very talented writer, keep it up :D_

_ElenaLionward07 - ugh, i'm trying to type this and being bombarded by my 14 pet rats trying to eat the wires. ;_;'' anyway. You review my story regularly and it really makes me happy XD thank you for being such a loyal reader!_

_Serellpaz - I figure english isn't your first language, but i'd like to thank you for taking the time to read my story and leave reviews with your thoughts and opinions. I'm glad my characterisation of Genesis makes you laugh!_

_I'd also like to thank Sunset In Love, WolfAwaken, Autumnlove113, Lemrinth, Hero-Of-The-Dawn, and UT Shadow for your support and reviews. I love all of you guys, really. XD I can't think of anything more to write so I'm gonna have to leave it at that. Uh, Yeah. Here's a new chapter. Huehuehue._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

"Can you believe it! Fucking Genesis of all people goes AWOL!" Cloud turned as the dishevelled red head hung onto him by the shoulders, chewing down on a sausage roll as he did so, nearly spitting out crumbs of pasty as he hiccuped loudly. Cloud ignored him as they sat in his apartment, Riley polishing his helmet in the kitchen while they took up space on one of the two sofas.

After he and Sephiroth's fight at come to an abrupt halt, Cloud had fallen to his knees, not understanding the feeling in his chest, like he was being crushed by a ton of bricks when the man turned and walked away from him as though he meant nothing. He eventually managed to pull himself together when the alarms stopped sounding, the training rooms appearing abandoned as the SOLDIERS had sprung into action. When he eventually made it up to the entrance hall, the building was amuck with hundreds of ShinRa employees and SOLDIERS, while he watched as the TURKS ran back in forth, still holding sniper rifles in their hands. When he walked in front of Reno, the seventeen year old grabbed him and pulled him back out of the crowds, tugging him through the corridors to the furthest corner of the building away from the gathering before he turned to him.

"Cloud, do you know anything about the commander? Anything that would have made him go AWOL?"

As soon as the words passed Reno's lips, Cloud's heart plummeted. He immediately began panicking. Where was Zack? Was he alright? Was Sephiroth…was the General ok? When he told the TURK he didn't know anything, Reno let out a bitter hiss, rubbing his head as he held his steel baton in his free hand. He had told him that Genesis had suddenly snapped on the thirtieth floor and made his way up to the forty ninth, killing anyone who got in his way; employees, SOLDIERS, even a few TURKS. The TURKS had immediately been dispatched when the alarms were sounded to bring the commander down, but Genesis had sprouted a wing and managed to fly off into the sky, but not before Tseng had managed to get a bullet in his arm. Cloud's face drained of all blood. Genesis had been wounded… that meant he would start degrading, and all the events he had been out to stop would be repeated again. He shook his head and ran from the red head, searching the facility for Zack.

Zackary Fair was still standing on the forty ninth floor when Cloud tried to get in to see him, being held back by a couple of TURKS. The science department were already in the room, collecting any samples or traces of evidence they could find while the TURK leader Tseng busied himself on his cell phone calling every contact he knew to get them searching after the crimson commander. Zack had seen him and demanded the TURKS get out of his way, allowing Cloud to fall into his arms, holding him close as he near cried from relief, hanging onto the first class and thanking the gods he was alright. Zack pressed his head into Cloud's blonde spikes before he led him towards the elevator, telling Tseng he would be in his apartment should he need him. However before the raven haired SOLDIER could leave, Tseng hung up his current call and escorted the both of them to Director Lazard's office.

Sat in a chair at the desk looking rather out of place was Angeal Hewley, appearing to be as cold as a stone statue, staring into nothingness as they entered, followed by the TURK leader. To the opposite side of the table the silver General stood leaning back against the wall, his eyes closed as Lazard waited for them to enter.

"Why is Strife here?" Lazard questioned, Cloud trying to keep his eyes from trailing towards the still coatless General.

"Fair refused to move without him." Tseng replied in his usual business tone, before nodding once dismissed and leaving the room to return to his duties. Cloud and Zack stood with straight backs, their arms at their sides as Lazard told Cloud the exact words he did not want to hear.

"Commander Rhapsodos is now listed as an enemy to ShinRa. He will be brought back and dispatched according to how the President sees fit."

Cloud knew he could no longer continue to act as some simple SOLDIER. He had to start his plan now, or else he would lose them all.

But with a drunken Reno hanging on to him by the neck on his day off, he was unable to do anything of the like. Corporeal Riley ignored the pair as the TURK took over the apartment for himself, his metal baton on the kitchen table and arms wrapped around Cloud Strife's shoulders. Cloud had been wanting to meet with Reeve to discuss further matters with their plans and see how far along his Cait Sith model was completed but could not shake the TURK off no matter what excuse he used.

Hollander, the scientist who had created Genesis and Angeal, had gone missing a few hours after Genesis' attack in the facility, causing even more chaos; only this time in the science department. When Cloud and Riley were ordered to go guard the elevators to the science department to make sure no one came in or out, he had attracted the attention of the one deranged man he had begged to Gaia was not in this world.

Hojo approached him, staring into his sapphire eyes, radiating an inhuman blue. He sneered, pressing a hand against Cloud's face before holding him steady for examination.

"You have mako in your system, boy?"

"Sir, yes sir." Cloud kept his gaze steady, looking away from the grotesque man as he released him, nearly cutting his cheeks with sharpened nails.

"I have not seen you before. Who has been giving you your regular doses?"

"I-"

"Hollander, sir." Riley answer for him, much to the appreciation of Cloud. When Hojo raised an eyebrow and moved away, Riley was silent until the end of their shift. When they had finished and made it back to their apartment, Zack thanked Riley before telling Cloud that he should answer with Hollander from now on should the science department ever ask him any questions about his mako intake.

Now Cloud was sat in his apartment lounge the next day at precisely one o'clock with an already drunken Reno attached to his every movement. When he shuffled slightly, Reno would just cling tighter, ignoring the initial protests coming from Riley before he rolled his eyes and left them to it, realising the TURK was not going to budge. Cloud's only option was to get the red head even drunker so he would go limp, or even better, unconscious. Holding the glass of whiskey in his hands, to which Cloud had no idea how he had managed to sneak alcohol into the facility (as it was prohibited all year round other than at the cadet examination party) but then again, this seventeen year old was a TURK.

"So what's your plans for the day, Cloud?" Corporeal Riley questioned once he had finished polishing his helmet, pulling it onto his head and lifting the view panel so his eyes were visible. Cloud opened his mouth to respond but found a bit of sausage roll was stuffed into his lips.

"He's hangin' with me! Ya got a problem with that, SOLDIER?" Reno hiccupped again, his eyes glossed with a drunken aura. Cloud rolled his eyes, Riley raising his eyebrow.

"Well, have fun with that." he flipped his viewer down, "I've got materia class with the new cadets. Wish me luck." he turned and made his way out of the apartment, much to Cloud's dismay. He was now left alone with an incredibly piss headed Reno.

"Giz a kiss!"

"Get off me, Reno."

"No! You don't love me!" he stuck out his tongue, slobbering onto him, "it's Fair isn't it! You love him more than me!" Cloud rolled his eyes again, more prominently this time, drawing a look of horror from Reno, "you so do! My heart is broken, Cloud!"

Cloud eventually heard his phone vibrating on the floor near him from where he'd left it to stop Reno from reading his messages. He picked up the phone, noticing he didn't know the caller ID. He had Elfé's listed under 'E' in case anyone managed to get a hold of the contact device, but other than her he did not know who with an unknown number would be calling him. Then it hit him. Genesis? Why would the crimson commander call him? Or perhaps it was Angeal? He shook his head, sighing as he accepted the call and held the phone against his ear.

"Strife here."

"Cloud."

Cloud's eyes widened slightly as he heard the General's low, husky voice over the phone. He pressed his thighs together to stop Reno from poking at his crotch, trying to reply without scowling at the TURK.

"General? What can I do for you, sir?" he shoved Reno off him, a disappointed 'aw' coming from the red head, "sorry about that. I've got a TURK in my apartment who wont leave."

Sephiroth simply laughed. Cloud blinked. He had never heard that kind of laugh from Sephiroth, only the maddened cackles escaping his lungs when he had decided he was the gods' gift to Gaia. But this laugh sounded…beautiful. An amused, heart warming chuckle. Cloud had never heard such a thing, it made his heart ache. He clenched his fingers tighter on the phone, waiting patiently for the silver haired man to continue, feeling somewhat like an overexcited schoolgirl.

"I would like to see you."

Well, that did it. His heart began to madly skip beats as he pushed Reno off him, the TURK nearly spilling whiskey all over his uniform when he tried to cling to him again. He coughed slightly, the General simply chuckling at his dilemma.

"Sorry, sir. I'm a bit…clung too, at this current moment."

"Hand the phone to him." Sephiroth simply replied, suddenly sounding severe. Cloud blinked, his phone being snatched by the red head when he realised his fingers felt numb with warmth.

Reno snickered and landed on the couch, grinning widely as he pressed the phone to his ear. Soon, however, the colour drained from his face, his eyes widening in terror. Cloud did not know what Sephiroth was telling him, but whatever it was had Reno absolutely terrified. He nodded once, gulping loudly before getting up, handing Cloud the phone, picking up his baton and briskly escaping from the apartment. Cloud frowned.

"What did you say to him?"

"Should it matter?"

He rolled his eyes at the General's near childish response. He ran a hand through his hair, examining the buster sword resting against the edge of the sofa. Despite it simply being a training sword, he had been unable to rest taking it as his own. He had put the level one ice materia he had stolen in Riley's class in one of the two slots on the sword, forgetting that he shared his apartment with his former Corporeal. However Riley seemed uninterested in the stolen equipment, having sat next to it the night before without batting an eye. Cloud had been thankful to whatever celestial being had granted him that small favour.

"Where?" he turned his attention back to the General.

He could practically feel the General's smirk burning into him.

"The rooftop."

The roof…? Why on earth did he want to meet him up there? His key card only allowed him to pass onto floor 69, which was Sephiroth's apartment itself. Floor 70 was the President's office himself, and just beyond his around a hundred metres from the desk was the 'roof', which actually consisted of a large balcony. He shook his head.

"I don't have permission to enter that floor."

"I'm sure you'll manage, Cloud."

Was this man already insane? If he was caught snooping around the President's hallway he'd be carted off to the TURKS, what with the crimson commander going AWOL, everyone was being suspected or interrogated for any involvement with Genesis' murderous rampage. He let out an exasperated sigh and nodded.

"Ok, whatever. I'll try."

"I will see you there, Cloud." he was hung up on after that. Cloud raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Why was the General so interested in meeting him again? They'd only sparred the day before. Unless he wanted him on the roof so he could throw him off the balcony, and blame it on the wind…

Cloud swallowed. Whatever this was about, it couldn't be good.

He grabbed his broadsword, expecting to be in some sort of battle with the General for any stupid reason the man could come up with as an excuse for killing him, before making his way out of the apartment and towards the elevators on the third class apartments floor. Once he got in, he swiped the card he had got from Reno, which allowed him up to floor 69. However, when he got to the floor, he pressed the emergency button, causing the glass box to come to an abrupt halt. The only way to the President's office was directly to floor 70, as there were no stairs on floor 69 that led up to it. He was going to have to use his wits. Pushing open the ventilation above him, he leapt up and hung onto the roof of the elevator, clambering up, pushing his sword through first, then his body after. Once he was stood on top of the mechanics, he stared up towards the bottom of the doorway about eight foot up. He was only five foot six, and so was not going to be able to get up there unless he used his imagination. Strapping his buster sword into the wall, he knew he could hack through the wire rope as the elevator would go crashing down to the bottom, most likely injuring some innocent employees. Wrapping his fingers around the rope, he narrowed his eyes.

And climbed.

Cloud made about four feet into the air before he heard the elevator below him beginning to move down, dragging him with it as the rope he hung onto moved down with it. He withdrew his sword and stabbed it into the wall just below the doorway, letting go of the wires and hanging onto the pommel of the sword before swinging back and forth, then spinning around until he landed on the flat edge of the blade. This wasn't as hard as he had first thought. Only now he was left with two metal doors which would not budge. He held his hand onto the pommel of his sword, crouching again. Pulling out the buster sword in one quick movement, he swung it down the middle of the doors, twisting it to the side so the blade turned, the sharp edges holding the doors open as he clung onto the hold. He glanced down at the endless darkness below and let out a small growl, using his mako enhanced strength to hang on. But before he could pull himself forward, a gloved hand was held out to him.

Cloud had never been happier to see the General as he was then. Sephiroth pulled him out of the shadows and to his feet, pressing the button of the floor to allow them to open so Cloud could drag his sword with him. The blonde nearly landed in the General's arms when he stumbled onto his feet, pressing his hands against the General's strapped chest and flustering.

"S-sorry sir!" he backed away, forgetting about the drop behind him as he desperately scampered backwards. The General caught his hand again, pulling him away from the drop and smiling lightly.

"Are you secretly a TURK, Cloud?" Sephiroth mused, walking forward once he released Cloud's hand. Cloud ran the hand through his hair, still flustering as he followed up the short staircase and towards the President's desk. He could still picture the Masamune blade embedded within President ShinRa's chest, the man bleeding out onto the desk as he was pinned by the ex General's weapon. He shook his head. This was not the same Sephiroth. This man was somewhat…nicer.

Sephiroth used his own key card to open the balcony doors, stepping out into the sunlight of the day. Cloud had not felt such pure sunlight in so, so long. He stood under the warm rays, having been located in the slums for every one of his missions. The ShinRa building was below the plate level except for the floors above fifty, and so Cloud leaned his head back, his eyes closed, taking in the sunlight against his pale skin. When he finally opened his sapphire irises, he noticed Sephiroth was staring out into the sky, his feline optics glistening beneath the natural light. Cloud had never taken the time to fully realise how beautiful the General really was, even during his fascinations with him as a child and in the training rooms so far below. His skin as pale as a newborn lamb's wool, hair as stunning and seemingly endless as the lifestream itself. When Sephiroth noticed the sixteen year old staring at him endlessly, he began.

"Why do you think Commander Rhapsodos left, Cloud?"

Cloud blinked. Why was he asking him about Genesis? He had no idea why he had gone AWOL, unless he had discovered his true identity as he had done in the blonde's previous world.

"I don't know, sir." he answered honestly, not really knowing what else to say. His opinion meant nothing to the General, after all.

Sephiroth ran his fingers over the banister separating them from the balcony and the vast drop to the plate below. He continued to stare out into the sky.

"Are we...truly monsters…?" he murmured aloud, Cloud's eyes widening slightly. No. Had Sephiroth learned of his real birth? But the way the man was acting, it was as though he was saddened…not mad.

"It doesn't matter what we're born as," Cloud replied, keeping his distance from the General, "monster or not, it is our actions which define us, not our creation."

Sephiroth turned to him, Cloud suddenly feeling rather insecure. He was armed, so would be able to fight the General off for a little while, but he was nowhere near as strong as the General; not yet. Until then, he had to avoid Sephiroth's madness like a curse. But the silver hair simply nodded once, before turning his head back to stare out into the blue skies before them. Cloud slouched his shoulders slightly, relaxing partially. He could not let his guard drop with the General, yet Sephiroth seemed to have no intentions on attacking him, simply staring out into the distance as though he were a songbird trapped within an iron barred cage.


	28. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

"Third class Cloud Strife!"

Cloud blinked, turning in the sunlight to face the group of second class SOLDIERS behind him, their weapons ready. What? He took a step back, moving his hand towards the pommel of his buster blade as he did so. Sephiroth also turned, examining their sudden intrusion as he narrowed his feline irises, slit pupils looking over each of the men. They were visibly shaking, not understanding how the third class could be so composed next to the terrifying silver hair. Cloud looked each of them over, but their faces were shielded by helmets and so he could get no trace of why they were there. Confronted and with nowhere to run, Cloud Strife had no choice but to comply, or fight.

"You have to come with us." one SOLDIER declared, noticing Cloud was reaching for his blade, they all drew their guns, pointing them to the blonde. Cloud's eyes widened as he moved his hand away from the sword on his back, holding them out in the air to signal he was not going to resist.

Sephiroth however was not content with just letting them march the blonde away.

"Who's ordered this?" the General demanded, shifting slightly so he was stood closer to the third class, seeming to protect him from the ShinRa warriors. They backed away slightly as the General stared them down, unmoving, his face in a constant stoic expression as though he were confronted by mere rats. They looked at each other, openly scared of the twenty five year old man, before the one who had spoken first gulped down his fear to try and address the General.

"F-from P-Professor Hojo, S-sir!"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed considerably. What did his father want with Cloud? He made no movement from where he stood, practically in psychical contact with the much shorter male. He knew full well of Hojo's experiments, having been subjected to them himself from a young age until he had began refusing to go to the science department. When they had threatened to use the fourteen year olds Genesis and Angeal instead of him, Sephiroth had accepted his fate as his father's experiment and willingly allowed the man to perform the most horrific research on his mortal frame. He would not allow his sociopath father to take the sixteen year old too.

"Under what grounds?"

"H-he did n-not s-say…"

Cloud continued to watch this display with widened eyes. Sephiroth was defending him? Of all the things the man had done to him and put him through, this was most definitely the last thing he had ever expected the silver haired General to do. But as the confrontation deepened, Sephiroth moving his gloved left hand towards the Masamune sheathed by his side, Cloud took a step forward.

"I'll come with you." when the SOLDIER nodded, waiting for him to follow as the other three second classes began to make their way back into the President's office. He began to walk forward, noticing the General following him. He said nothing, wondering to himself why Sephiroth had chosen to tag along beside him, still in shock from being so openly protected by his arch nemesis. But this was not his arch nemesis, at least, not in this world. Still, Cloud could not help but feel agitated as they all got into the lift, Sephiroth heading in first and standing behind them all, the SOLDIERS beside him absolutely terrified, openly shaking despite their attempts to be brave. The blonde realised that other than Genesis, Angeal and Zack, the General was openly feared by all. It must be both extremely irritating, and…lonely. Cloud glanced back at Sephiroth, finding he was leaning into him despite his own will. When he felt the man behind him, pressing his body into Sephiroth's front, he thought he heard a soft sigh escape the General but quickly dismissed it.

When the elevator stopped on floor 68, the science department, Cloud felt his stomach flip as though a dagger was being twisted inside him. Professor Hojo stood awaiting them, his arms crossed behind his back as he examined him as though he were some sort of specimen. The blinding white of his laboratory overalls made Cloud have to narrow his eyes slightly beneath the artificial light, the sociopath moving closer towards him.

"Yes, this is him. Very well done, boys." Hojo lifted his glasses slightly, inspecting Cloud, "it seems you SOLDIERS are not all as useless as you appear." he raised an eyebrow when he noticed his son standing behind his newest test subject, "General."

"Hojo." was all the silver head replied, refusing to move as the SOLDIERS quickly ran as fast as their legs to carry them back into the elevator, petrified of being anywhere near the General's wrath.

The scientist grabbed Cloud's arm, pulling him closer as he held a syringe in his hands.

"I would like to assess your physique, Strife." Hojo smiled sickly sweet, moving the syringe closer to his most prominent vein, "however, I must ensure you are motionless throughout the examination. This shouldn't hurt a bit…"

The sword pressed against Hojo's neck. The scientist turned to stare at his son without fear, only disappointment as he refused to allow the needle to get anywhere closer to Cloud's skin. Cloud pulled his arm away and rubbed where it had been held, Hojo simply laughing lowly.

"Very well. Strife shall undertake this examination conscious."

Conscious? Had he not said that the serum would leave him motionless? Cloud stayed close to the General, feeling oddly secure by his side, knowing he would rather face the silver General again than ever be in that madman's clutches again. When Hojo gestured for him to follow, Cloud made his way through the science department, trying to ignore the large vials of ocean blue liquid and cages filled with laboratory rats as he did so. He could feel the General's presence behind him every step of the way, his heart steady while he examined his surroundings.

That was when he noticed, amongst the large plastic containment units far to the end of the room, the red feline creature watching the interaction between third class and insane scientist. Cloud stared at Nanaki, who watched back with his old, weary golden irises, his lips held in a thin parting as though he recognised him. Cloud winked to the creature, who suddenly got to his feet and placed a clawed paw against the plastic wall he stared through. When Hojo came to an abrupt halt, noticing the beast's sudden taking of interest in the blonde, he grinned.

"The last of it's kind. Beautiful, is it not?" when neither Cloud nor Sephiroth replied, Hojo shook his head, "you simple minded beings would never understand."

Cloud glanced back at Nanaki one last time, realising Sephiroth's eyes were locked on him, having become aware of the interaction between the caged creature and the blonde. Cloud turned away as they made their way through a tight hallway, then entered a chemically cleansed room with a single thin black bed in the middle. Cloud frowned as Hojo waited for him to climb up onto the plastic and metal contraption. Cloud climbed up and sat on the bed as Hojo began to search through the drawers, bringing out pliers, two foot long scissors, a vast array of syringes… Cloud felt the colour draining from his face, but then Sephiroth approached, standing opposite the scientist and saying nothing, simply…watching. Cloud wondered for a moment if the General had planned this all out; waiting for him to reach him on the rooftop, then pretending he knew nothing of the scientist's interest in him until they reached the laboratories where he would be trapped forever. Cloud shuddered violently as the memories of his four years in captivity with Zack flooded through him, only becoming motionless again when Sephiroth rested a hand against his shoulder. The blonde glanced up at him, but the General simply continued to stare at Hojo with an unreadable expression. Cloud leaned back when the sociopath gestured to him to lie down, holding a thermometer.

"Let me just check your temperature…" when he placed it into Cloud's mouth, setting it upon his lip, they stood in silence for around two, painstakingly long minutes. Eventually the scientist withdrew the glass rod, "37 degrees Celsius." he murmured, before putting it away and bringing out the blood pressure cuffs and strapping it to his arm. Cloud said nothing as his BP came out perfectly normal, then Hojo reached for the ophthalmoscope. Cloud's eyes darted from side to side as the light shown down into them, before Hojo muttered.

"Mako infused irises…around forty percent…other than that…no noticable deformities…"

Cloud eventually was allowed to close his eyes when the white draped man moved away from him. Sephiroth continued to stare seemingly endlessly at the man, never blinking, his cat slit pupils tracking the scientist's movement as he brought out a thick needled syringe filled with the sickly blue liquid Cloud knew all too well.

"This mako is concentrated to ten point five percent." the scientist informed him, before pressing it into his skin and watching with glee as he twitched at the sudden pain, "you should have side effects of nausea, headaches, muscle pains, concussion like symptoms, vomiting, stress…" as he listed these, Cloud found his eyes trailing back to the General, who continued to keep his hand held on his shoulder. Despite the strangeness of the psychical contact, Cloud felt safe with Sephiroth guarding over him like a silent, ever present angel.

An angel…? Cloud would have scoffed if he were not in this current situation. After the syringe was removed, the scientist watched, waiting for him to get up and begin spewing over the floor or clutching his sides in agony. However Cloud simply lay there unmoving, unaffected by the sudden presence of more mako in his body. He was a champion of the lifestream itself, filled to the brim with the souls and essences of all life. A few drops of mako did nothing to his body.

Hojo was grinning profusely, acting as though he had just found his prize specimen. Cloud stared back with a little horror in his eyes. No. He would never be this madman's experiment again. He would rather die than ever go through that suffering again. But as he shifted to move, the scientist leapt onto him, holding him down by his other shoulder.

"This is impossible…" he shook his head, eyes wide with disbelief behind his thick glass lenses, "how can your body accept mako so willingly…?"

Cloud easily lied.

"I…fell in a mako pool when I was younger…" he hoped his excuse proved somewhat useful. When the scientist raised his eyebrows in clear disbelief, a silent presence finally spoke up.

"His medical records showed this to be the case." Sephiroth informed, "however, these records were destroyed in a fire shortly after the event."

Cloud turned to stare at the General in disbelief. Why was Sephiroth helping him? Lying for him to his own father? Then again, he'd probably disown any family member who performed the same way the sociopath did. Hojo simply hummed, turning back to the desks and pulling open his laptop. After typing into it briskly, brought up some video footage. It was a recording taken from training room 49, of Cloud and the General's most recent battle.

Cloud watched, sitting up, as he fought Sephiroth on the screen, the battle seeming unending until he cut open the General's side, the camera zooming in on the scene as blood stained Cloud's buster sword and ran down the General's slick black pants. Cloud's sapphire eyes stayed firmly fixed to the laptop monitor as the alarms went off on the tape, flashing red on the screen until Hojo closed the laptop. He turned to the blonde, still smirking.

"You managed to wound my son." when Cloud did not respond, he continued, "simply…remarkable." he approached the blonde, ignoring his child standing close by him, "I would very much like your help, SOLDIER."

"No." his response was automatic. Cloud said nothing more turning to slide his legs off the table when the scientist let out a gruff laugh.

"No?"

"I will not take part in your experiments. I refuse." his sapphire gaze hardened, he glowered at the scientist who had put him and Zack through four years of utter hell.

"My boy, you really think you have a choice in this? You are nothing but a weapon! Replaceable! You cannot refuse me!" he made his approach to Cloud, grabbing his arm and digging his fingernails into his skin, "you will give yourself to me for testing, or be _severely_ punished."

Sephiroth's movement made Hojo turn, nearly falling back as the General caught onto the scientist's own arm, crushing down on the bone with his grip.

"Release him."

Even his own father feared him. The scientist released Cloud, Sephiroth refusing to part his fingers in the deadly hold as the blonde backed away towards the door, but did not run. He waited until Sephiroth slowly removed his grip from his father's limb.

"I will be with you shortly, Cloud."

Cloud spared one last glance at Hojo as he was dismissed, who was watching him with a grin across his lips. He walked out of the room as quickly as he could, hoping to whatever god was watching over him that the scientist would not call him back in. He made his way through the metal corridors, stopping when he noticed Nanaki still pacing at the thick plastic wall of his containment unit. He glanced around, noticing none of the other scientists were present in the main room, busy with their own experiments at the side laboratories. Cloud crouched down and made his way towards the feline, stopping when he came to the cage.

"Nanaki…" he slid his fingers into the holes of the cage in the plastic, just below the top of the plastic.

"How do you know my-?" when Nanaki's muzzle touched his fingers, the feline's golden eyes began to widen.

Back in the room Cloud Strife had been examined in, father and son watched each other, each refusing to move from where they stood, glaring each other down.

"Stay away from him."

Hojo watched as Sephiroth's hand made it's way towards the halt of his Masamune sword, the very one he had chosen with him by his side when the weapons had been drawn upon before him. The thirteen year old had placed his hands upon the pencil the designer was using and promptly removed it from his hold, turning to the katana pictured on the paper and increasing the blade length dramatically.

"B-but that's s-seven foot…" the designer stuttered, drawing a line by the side of the sword's blueprints to show how many feet the finished weapon would be.

Sephiroth's feline irises made no movement away from the picture he was staring at obsessively.

"I want it."

Hojo had smirked at his son's stubborn nature. A trait from his mother, no doubt. He refused the other weapons drawn up and offered to him, the President commanding that the experiment be used for something other than just sitting around in the laboratories taking up space, resources and precious, oh so precious money. When the SOLDIER programme had been put forward by Hojo's predecessor, Gast, the President had agreed almost instantly. The four scientists; Hojo, Gast, Lucrecia and Hollander had began working on developing the mako liquid to be used in experimentation - first on rats and mice, then on humans. The beginnings of their work had resulted in hideous, mutilated monsters, to which were disposed of in the incinerators, whether alive or deceased. But when they had discovered Jenova… all had changed. Sephiroth, created from his seed and the egg of Lucrecia Crescent, combined with the DNA cells of the ancient creature, was a machine of a mortal, defeating any puzzles or tasks he was set in a matter of minutes, or seconds. Lucrecia had been removed from the boy's life before he hit his six month mark, to which the scientists then took care of their creation as though he was nothing more than a specimen to be gawped at and amazed by. Sephiroth had at first been willing, accepting of any changes or tasks he was given, but this soon changed upon hitting his seventh birthday. The boy was suddenly violent when he did not receive what he desired, leaving the scientists no choice but to separate themselves from the experiment entirely, keeping him in one of the laboratories as some sort of personal room, though he was monitored constantly. When Hollander had suggested to the President that they use Hojo's son as a weapon in SOLDIER the proposal had been accepted, then demanded. Hojo had no choice but to allow Sephiroth to become one of the ShinRa President's dogs, barking when commanded. But before he had been able to start his training, the boy had required a weapon.

"B-but a w-weapon of t-those p-p-proportions…" the man stuttered, terrified of the monstrous boy sat before him, with his silver starlight hair and green eyes like a feline, his stare constant and unmoving.

"You will give the boy what he desires." Hojo muttered, the horrified man turning to him before his wavering eyes trailed back to the teenager. When Sephiroth stood to return to his studies, the man near falling from his chair as he did so, the scientist had been amused. These pathetic beings he shared this world with were terrified of what they did not understand, repulsed by the boy's appearance, yet desperate to know more.

But not even Sephiroth knew the true means of his birth. It was a secret both the President, and his father, were willing to keep for a later time.

"You seem to think I mean him harm, my boy." Hojo countered simply, examining his arm where his son had gripped down on it with inhuman pressure. He would have to use one of those ghastly materias to heal it later, but for now, he would enjoy tormenting the General before him.

"I know you do." Sephiroth's stare never left him, unblinking. Hojo mused about how Angeal and Genesis, Hollander's pathetic creations, had at first been terrified of the boy simply due to his ability to stare for hours without movement, his eyelids not requiring to shut due to the type of eyes he possessed.

"Strife has an incredible ability, Sephiroth. If you cared about this planet, you would allow me to conduct research on him." Hojo replied, his voice in a constant high, snide tone, "the results could benefit humanity."

"I don't care."

Hojo smiled slightly at the General's response. So, so selfish.

Just like his mother.

"You may go now."

Sephiroth did not look back at his father as he left the room, marching down the hallway in search of Cloud. He stopped when he came to the end of the corridor entering the main science laboratory, tilting his head when he heard the blonde's soft voice close by. Sephiroth turned his irises towards Cloud, who was squatted on his knees in front of the strange feline creature Hojo's men had captured near Cosmo Canyon. He watched as Cloud's fingers, which had slid into the large holes drilled into the thick plastic, were licked gently by the beast, which seemed to be…smiling? The silver haired General approached the third class, noticing how he immediately jolted away as though he had been up to no good. The beast let out a loud roar and slammed into the cage wall, slashing at the plastic as it tried to get at him. Sephiroth stood motionless as Cloud got to his feet, jogging to him and stopping.

"I'm sorry, sir." he did not look at him, keeping his sapphire eyes turned away elsewhere, anywhere but his eyes, "I… I…"

"It's quite alright." Sephiroth murmured his response, looking back at the experiment creature as it stood glaring at him, fire tipped tail swinging from side to side, feather pierced ears pinned back against it's skull, "let us leave this place."

Cloud nodded and followed the General out of the laboratories, glancing back repeatedly at Nanaki as he moved. His friend nodded to him, turning and curling back up at the end of his captivity. Cloud felt a small smile attempt to wry it's way across his lips but held it back.

Five.

But as they were leaving, a fourth pair of eyes watched them.

Hojo laughed lowly as he watched the two leave, his legendary son never parting his inhuman eyes from the blonde who jogged in front of him towards the elevator doors. He had been watching the boy kneeling before his experiment, which he had named 'Red VIII', before Sephiroth had approached him. The way the creature had acted towards his son was no coincidence. The last of it's kind Hojo had captured before it was put down by SOLDIERS after escaping the laboratories a few years ago had done very much the same to everyone, everyone except the cetra woman, Ifalna.

Hojo's lips spread into a huge, unnatural smirk as his glasses glinted below the artificial lights of the facility. While Cloud Strife may have refused his demands to use him in his experiments, he could simply wait patiently for the blonde to be alone, wait for the perfect opportunity to strike, just like a starving viper stalking an unaware mouse. Cloud would be his.

The cetra would be his.


	29. Chapter 29

_AN ;; Uh oh. Hojo knows Cloud is a cetra from the way he can restore peoples'/creatures' memories from their other world spirits. So far, we've got Reeve (Cait Sith), Zack, Aeris, Elfé and now Nanaki (Red 13). Cloud's getting himself quite the party. However, where has Genesis gone off too? and what is up with Angeal? Maybe Zack can slap some sense into him this chapter, maybe not._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

Running fingers through his raven hair, Zackary Fair let the blonde pass him, holding the door to his apartment open. Genesis had been gone for two days now, and throughout that entire time, Angeal had not moved from his place on the sofa; not to eat, not to sleep, not to piss. Zack wondered how he managed it, seeing as SOLDIERS required to eat and move constantly to burn off the mako in their systems. However Angeal was already starting to show signs that he was slowly weakening, his skin paling and cheekbones beginning to show through his stubble, while a deep, dark set of rings lay under his eyes. Zack had tried cooking something for his mentor and nearly set the kitchen on fire, but even then the first class did not move from where he sat, staring at his phone as though he expected a call.

When Angeal had been informed of Genesis' disappearance from ShinRa, he had simply flinched; lowering his cell phone and allowing it to drop to the side of his knee. Zack had been the one to suffer the crimson commander's rage and now bore the tiniest white mark on his throat where the blade had pierced his skin, the commander set on killing him had Tseng not shot him through the arm before the flames had collided with his head. Yet Angeal had not cared. The pup sat by his feet, trying to get some sort of response out of him as the burns on his arms ached beneath the bandages and ointment he had received from the infirmary, sounds similar to whines escaping him as he desperately begged his mentor to acknowledge his pain. Yet Angeal's eyes had not moved even in the slightest. Zack had given up after that, turning back to his duties until he gave Cloud a call and asked to meet him, having not seen the blonde since he had come running to him after Genesis' attack on the faculty. He worried about Cloud, who he had been told by his fellow second classes had been seen with Sephiroth on the balcony. Not fighting, simply…talking. And although Zack trusted the General not to turn on ShinRa, he did not believe his intentions for Cloud were any better than the ones Genesis had had planned for him with fire in his hands and eyes blazing like a madman, quoting Loveless near constantly as he battled with him. How Cloud had even managed to get to the balcony without a key card confused him; until he had been told the third class had simply got the elevator to the sixty ninth floor and then climbed up the wires to meet with Sephiroth, courtesy of the ever watching eyes of Cissnei and the other TURKS. Was Cloud really that desperate to be by the General's side? He had killed Aeris, torn his old world apart…yet Cloud was acting as though he worshipped the ground that Sephiroth walked on. It infuriated Zack, nearly as much as seeing Angeal in such a weak, pathetic state did.

Cloud entered the first class' apartment and sat down on the sofa opposite Angeal, noticing he did not even acknowledge his presence as he did so. He frowned slightly but chose not to say anything, knowing it was none of his business. Angeal was wearing a shirt, which had changed since Genesis' departure, so he must have got up at some point. Though in the state the commander was in, it seemed highly unlikely that he had moved other than that one time. Zack approached and stood over the both of them, seeming to glare at each of them in turn before exhaling loudly.

"Someone is going to explain to me," he began, his eyes closed, "what the fuck has been going on these past weeks?"

Angeal made no response. Cloud tilted his head slightly, staring up at the second class as though he was supposed to be carrying a huge secret. Well, other than the one about him being a cetra created by the lifestream; but Zack already knew that. When he also said nothing, Zack suddenly yelled at them.

"Why the hell aren't either of you saying anything!? Something is clearly going on behind my back and neither of you thought to tell me?! You two are tearing me apart!" he whipped his head to glare at Angeal, the first class SOLDIER still motionless, "Angeal! What the fuck happened between you and Genesis to make him go fucking AWOL on us!?" then he lashed round to Cloud, the blonde's eyes wide with confusion, "and you…why are you suddenly buddies with the General? After what he did to you!"

Angeal blinked. Cloud and Zack turned to him as the commander suddenly spoke for the first time in weeks.

"Sephiroth did something to you?"

Cloud blinked, swallowing. He wondered if Zack was referring to his past life with the silver hair, or the wound he received fighting with Sephiroth a while back. He did not know which one he was supposed to respond with as Angeal's hardened stare continued to mould onto him. He was soon saved by Zack, who was running hands through his hair.

"It was Sephiroth who hurt Cloud in the training rooms! If you gave a damn about anyone but yourself you would know that!" he turned to his mentor, unleashing his full fury he had tried to keep locked inside of him, "you obviously don't care about me, about Genesis, about anyone but yourself and your stupid honour!"

"My honour-!"

"Your honour is certainly helping right now, isn't it?! Genesis has gone mad and it's all your fault! He said you did this to him! What did you do to him!?" Zack was panting, tears threatening to break through his resolve as he glared at the bearded man.

Angeal stared at his pup, watching as a tear finally managed to break it's way past his eyelashes and run down his cheeks, the stress of the past weeks finally making it's way out of Zack's system. A low exhale made it's way past his lips.

"We….we had…"

"What?! What could you possibly say to make any of this make sense!?"

"We had sex, Zack."

Cloud felt blood rushing to his cheeks as he unwillingly pictured the two commanders in such an act together. He coughed loudly, leaping to his feet and making his way past the two raven haired SOLDIERS, not wanting to know any of the details as he stepped outside the apartment door and waited in the hallway. Zack did not spare a glance at the blonde third class as he stared in absolute shock at his mentor.

"You…did…what?"

Angeal looked away from him, holding his head in one hand.

"We…well…" he cleared his throat, not wanting to discuss this with his apprentice but finding he was not going to get out of the situation without an explanation, "at the party…I had a bit to drink…"

"You never drink." Zack muttered partially to himself as he looked away, feeling incredibly awkward about this entire moment.

"Genesis and I…we…" Angeal ran the hand through his hair, "gods be damned, Zack. Do you not understand what I'm saying?!"

"I get what you're saying!" Zack snapped, eyes still blazing with fury, "what I don't get is why you two fucking would end up in Genesis tearing the place apart!"

"I don't know."

"Bullshit!" Zack slammed his hands down on the sofa arm, teeth bared as he bristled like a ferocious wolf, "what the fuck did you do to him, Angeal!?"

"Nothing!"

"Then why did he try to kill me!?" Zack's anger was not melting. In fact, it simply became more apparent with each passing moment the two men glared on at each other. After a minute of silence, Angeal murmured his response.

"I…I rejected him."

"…What?"

"After…that…" the commander closed his eyes, trying to keep the memories repressed deep in the back of his mind, "Zack, you have to understand, my honour...-"

"What does your honour have to do with this?!"

Angeal's eyes widened with his own scorn. He flew to his feet, nearly knocking the table over as he confronted his apprentice with unbent ire.

"He's a man!"

"So fucking what! You think anyone gives a shit anymore? Half the goddamn army is gay!" Zack threw his arms up in the air, yelling at the top of his lungs, "Rufus fucking ShinRa likes it up the ass! How does your honour affect where you stick your cock!?"

"It's a matter of self respect!" Angeal roared, "I will not engage in such relations with just anyone!"

"Genesis isn't just anyone though, is he!?" Zack snapped back, getting up on the balls of his feet so he was the same height as his mentor, "none of this crap matters if you love him!"

Angeal went silent. He sunk away from Zack, taking his place on the sofa yet again, composing himself as he ran his hands across his face. Zack panted, still glaring with narrowed eyes at his mentor as Angeal shook his head.

"I don't know, Zack…"

"Know what?!"

"I don't know if I love him."

Zack's breathing slowed, he stared down at Angeal as though he was not the same man he had known for over four years. Taking a few steps back, he shook his head.

"You slept with him without knowing how you really felt?" when Angeal did not reply, Zack seethed, "you fucking moron…"

Angeal's eyes widened as he stared at his apprentice in a mixture of shock and anger. He had never been so disrespectful as to openly, or even in secret, insult him. He snarled loudly.

"You think Genesis gave a damn!? No! he begged for it as though his life depended on it, just as he does with everyone, male or female!" Angeal replied bitterly, his insides twisting as he wondered how many people the crimson commander had actually been with.

"He only did that because you kept rejecting him!" Zack did not care it was the lustful, autocratic Genesis he was defending; Angeal's argument was immature and meaningless, "did you expect him to just sit back and wait for you? You've kept him hanging on a string for years!"

"I-" Angeal did not know what to respond with. He slunk back into his knees, curling up on the furniture as Zack glared down at him. How could his mentor be so intelligent, yet so insanely stupid? He turned, making his way back to the door to retrieve Cloud, when he heard that strange, deep laugh vibrating slightly beyond the doorway. The redness in his cheeks from shouting suddenly dispirited, as he realised who the blonde was talking to outside the entranceway.

* * *

Cloud wondered how long the two were going to argue for. He sat on the floor of the first class hallway, hoping none of them would come out and start listening to Angeal and Zack fighting in their shared apartment. Not that they probably couldn't already hear, the loudness coming from the room from each yell caused the walls to shake slightly. Cloud assumed the argument could be heard from at least three floors down. He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall as the elevator down the hallway slid open, the man making his way towards him with slow, perfectly balanced steps.

"Cloud?"

Turning his sapphire gaze up, Cloud found the black boots by his feet. He moved his gaze upward, taking in the General's form until he stopped at his feline eyes. He found he was no longer afraid, simply confused. Had Sephiroth heard the pair arguing and come to investigate? The General however, did not move to open the door. He leaned back against the wall and smiled slightly at the blonde. Cloud felt like an explanation for his being there was due.

"Zack and Angeal are-"

"Yes, I heard."

Cloud could have rolled his eyes. Of course he had. Everyone in the facility could probably hear the two SOLDIERS screaming at each other within the apartment. Cloud leaned his head back slightly, tilted it to the side as he pressed his now aching ear against a shoulder, no longer in his uniform as it was his afternoon off. He wore a simple pair of black trousers and a white shirt, nothing too fancy; he was only visiting Zack after all and had hardly any clothes other than the third class uniforms shared amongst the similar sized men.

"Why are you sat out here?"

Sephiroth's question was oddly…friendly. He acted as though they were friends. Friends? Was that the right word to use? Acquaintances. Yes, that sounded much better, considering who it was he was talking about. Cloud sighed.

"Didn't want to hear all the details." he didn't mention those details being of the two commanders getting it on. He shivered internally at the thought. Genesis Rhapsodos, the ever lustful pest of ShinRa, with the honourable Angeal Hewley? He could barely picture it, imagining two entirely different beings instead. He shook his head, wondering why Sephiroth was there. "Why are you here?" he forgot to add the 'sir' after his question but decided he'd see how far he could go in talking to the General like they were on equal standing. If the General didn't like it, he could simply ignore him.

"I came to see Angeal." another loud shout was heard in the apartment as Sephiroth replied, "but I see he is presently engaged."

Cloud felt a soft laugh escape him. Sephiroth tilted his head, questioning the blonde's sudden amusement.

"You talk funny." Cloud knew he sounded like a child but could not help it. He had been so used to the General being his enemy, that talking to him without receiving threats or a sword in the gut was incredibly strange to him.

"Funny? I rarely engage in humour."

Cloud just laughed even harder. When he turned his eyes back to Sephiroth, a small smile was tugging on the corners of his lips. The General was usually so emotionless, that even a tiny smirk like the one he displayed now made Cloud feel warm inside. This was most definitely not the man who had tormented him so.

The door slid open, Zack stepping out of the room to find the two perfectly content in the corridor, Sephiroth's blade still sheathed while Cloud simply sat laughing to himself. Zack stared at the two in confusion; did Cloud not tell him about how Sephiroth tried to destroy the world? Even if they were not the same man, how could he be so calm, so relaxed beside a monster who could do that? He turned his hardened sapphire gaze to the General, who made no movement, nor acknowledgment of him being there, simply continuing to stare down at the blonde. Zack let out a loud exhale.

"Cloud," he smiled to his friend slightly, then turned to the General, "Sephiroth."

"Zack." the silver haired man finally turned his gaze to the second class when Cloud got to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Cloud asked, concern tinged in every word. Zack was silent, leaning into him and pulling him into a tight hug, then grinned widely.

"Course I am! Made of nails me!" he turned his stare to the General, who's eyes seemed to radiate a bitter frost as he examined the display before him, Zack refusing to move his arms from around the teenager, "come on, let's watch a film or something. Sephy here will keep Angeal out the way." Zack noticed the small smirk playing on Sephiroth's lips as he turned, pulling Cloud into the apartment living area with him.

He near carried the blonde to the sofa where Angeal had taken refuge for a few weeks, the first class now standing numbly in the kitchen, motionless until he saw the General and nodded, his eyes softening considerably. Sephiroth approached him as Zack continued to cling to Cloud, holding him on his lap with one arm while he used the remote to flick through the channels on the television to find something to watch. He eventually stopped on a movie channel, grinning widely as Cloud sat limply in his arms, like a doll.

"Found one." he glanced around, noticing Sephiroth thoroughly engaged in conversation quietly in the kitchen with his fellow first class, and released Cloud from his arms. The blonde shifted off of him, sitting on the sofa beside him as he smiled slightly at the television. "It's called 'Lovesick'."

"What's it about?" sixteen year old Cloud Strife had not seen many films as a child, due to living with his mother in the mountainous town of Nibelheim, where the radars seemed uninterested in their little village and so television consisted only of films brought to them from nearby villages, rather than the television itself.

"This girl is in love with a guy, but when she finds out her old enemy isn't what he appears, she falls in love with him too," Zack informed, keeping an eye on the silver haired General in the kitchen as he consolidated his mentor, "the girl is confused and doesn't know who to pick. The men are at war, and she has to fight her love for old enemy, whilst being engaged to the guy on her side. In the end, the men fight, and one is killed." he grinned, "it's a great film, I saw it a few months ago in the pictures with Aeris."

Cloud, however, was frowning. He could feel Sephiroth very close by and found he wanted to be beside him, despite his comfortableness around Zack. He turned his head to glance at the two first classes in the kitchen area when Zack began to laugh at the television, finding his eyes came locked on to Sephiroth's. The two refused to break eye contact, Cloud's heart beginning to beat faster as his lower lip fell ever so slightly away from the rest of his mouth, his entire body beginning to shiver as cold trails made their way down his spine and towards his lower regions, colliding with a burning fire within him. When Sephiroth smiled, it was all it took to drive Cloud over the edge. He turned away, jolting his head to face the television screen rather than the General. Zack glanced at him before dropping his arm over his shoulders again and pulling him close, his warmth radiating into Cloud's small structure. But inside of him, the feeling of the ice in his heart refused to be melted by the heat emanating from the second class.

_AN ;; there we have it. The board is set. Cloud has feelings for both Zack and Sephiroth now, and he knows it. Feel free to leave me a small review with your thoughts? ^_^_

_~ Nightfall_


	30. Chapter 30

_AN ;; oh wow, reviews o_o. The reason I ask for reviews is so I actually know if people are enjoying/understanding/willing to read this P: i've got up to chapter 36 planned out, so they shouldn't take long to write up. If you're wondering how I get them out so quickly, I really have no idea. I'll spend three hours writing a chapter, go get some food or let the rats out, or do something else for a bit, then return to write some more. I'm listening to albums from Epica, Nightwish and Evanescence whilst writing this but occasionally my playlist will end up on some character related song and leave me all sad for a little while, haha. Not sure if that helps with the story or not, though. I was supposed to be helping my mother out in the garden today cutting a few trees down (so expected not to be able to post many chapters today) but because it's raining I get to skive work and write more. Yessss._

_Whoops. I got my numerals mixed up XD Red XIII, not Red VIII. Whoops. Sorry guys ^_^'' Shall not be making that mistake again!_

_I recommend heading over to read 'Doll' by Zetran here on fanfiction, you'll find it under the FF7 category just like this one. It's very well written and one of my current favourite stories on the site, so if you've got a moment give the story a go, yes? :)_

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

Zack and Angeal stood in full battle gear in Director Lazard's office on the fifty first floor, awaiting to be address. Angeal had his family heirloom, his legendary buster sword, strapped to his back, though he rarely if ever used the blade, while Zack was using a standard issued broadsword, though it stayed sheathed behind his back in a similar fashion to his mentor's. After Cloud had left last night, after falling asleep on the sofa a few inches from him again and being awoken by the sound of Angeal's phone ringing on the living area table, Angeal had grabbed his phone and pressed it to his ear, breathing the man's name.

"Genesis…"

However a few moments after the phone had rang, it went dead. Angeal dropped it to the ground, the General stood watching in the kitchen as the third class blonde decided it was a good time for him to leave and shuffled out of the apartment, shortly followed by the silver hair, who Zack was tempted to follow behind to see if he made his way back to Cloud again when he was not looking. But he stayed by Angeal's side, who sat motionless and sleepless throughout the night, eyes staring down at his hands as he kept repeating 'What have I done?'. Even when Tseng had arrived at the doorway the next morning, collecting them for an urgent meeting called by Lazard, Angeal had hardly budged until Zack grabbed him by the arm and began to drag him along, practically handing him to the TURK leader before going back to pick up Angeal's weapon for him. They entered the SOLDIER director's office and waited for him to address them, speaking quietly with Tseng first before he departed.

"First class Angeal Hewley, second class Zackary Fair." Lazard turned to them, clearly stressed from having one of ShinRa's best men go AWOL out of thin air, "there have been sightings of ex commander Genesis Rhapsodos in his home town of Banora, in the Mideel continent. You are both to depart immediately under the President's direct orders to bring him back to the facility," he narrowed his eyes, "dead or alive."

Angeal said nothing as Zack shook his head, but before he could speak, Lazard told him he did not want to hear any protests; he himself did not want this, but it was a direct command from President ShinRa himself.

"You are also to locate the scientist Hollander, who disappeared shortly after the commander's slaughter on the forty ninth." Lazard was clearly angered by this, wanting to know answers but willing to have Genesis' head to pay the price for the loss of so many ShinRa employees and SOLDIERS under his command, "he is to be brought back alive for questioning. You will be departing in less than an hour."

Zack sighed silently, following his mentor who turned and began to briskly make his way out of the office, down the stairs, elevators and corridors in complete silence, and towards the helipad just beyond the main entrance. When he saw that Reno was the one piloting the helicopter he rolled his eyes. He did not want to have to deal with the idiot of a TURK. Boarding and strapping themselves in; the flight to approximately four hours to get from Midgar, passing over the eminent Fort Condor across the ocean and to the Mideel continent, before landing a few hundred yards from the orchard filled village of Banora.

Zack leapt out of the helicopter before it took off again, Reno grinning at them as it did so. Angeal landed beside him, beginning his course down the path his hometown. Zack analysed the area for advantage points, although he also took in the general beauty of the village. The houses were built low which thatched roofing, with small gardens at the front of each, while strange, grey barked trees leant their foliage towards the skin of Gaia, as though the fruits they carried weighed as heavy as a thousand souls. As he approached one tree to pick one of it's yield, Angeal spoke up.

"Dumb apples…"

Zack turned slightly when he saw Angeal already holding a dark skinned fruit in his hand.

"We used to call them dumb apples…and old town tradition…" Angeal turned the apple over in his fingers, examining it, "they grow at all times of the year, as though…confused."

Zack realised the apple looked exactly like the ones Genesis had a habit of carrying around with him, along with his beloved original print copy of Loveless. He closed the gap between mentor and apprentice, placing a hand on Angeal's shoulder and tightening his fingers slightly in a gesture of comfort.

"We'll find him." he promised, the elder simply nodding before turning and making his way towards a small house opposite the mansion. Zack approached the larger building himself, who he had been told from the blueprints shown to them by Reno- whilst he was supposed to be watching where he was flying- belonged to Genesis Rhapsodos' parents. He approached, stopping when he noticed the monsters beginning to gather by the doorway, attracted by the smell of blood. He drew his sword and dispatched them quickly before kicking open the door and searching the house, finding nothing more than pools of scarlet liquid in varying places around the inside. Until he opened the parents' bedroom. Two charred corpses lay in a silent embrace, unrecognisable from their skin being burned away to blackness. When Zack's eyes trailed to the large picture frame above the bed, he took in the image of one five year old Genesis Rhapsodos standing beside his parents, seeming incredibly out of place between the smiling couple. When he heard a scream coming from outside, the raven haired visibly scowled before rushing out of the building, noticing the fires glistening in the glass window, his eyes widening as he desperately searched for his mentor.

He skidded to a halt when he came out of the doorway to find Genesis and Angeal locked in battle, an elderly woman behind Angeal as he defended her. Genesis' hair was paler, as though it was lightening, the roots being a strange, dark grey, whilst his red jacket seemed stained by white dust. The wound on his arm where he had been shot still bled out, blood trickling down his blade as he fought with his childhood friend, both reluctant to give in to the other.

"What did you do to her, Genesis!?" his mentor let out a yell as their sword collided again, sparks flying between them before the two pushed each other away with their inhuman strength. Zack ran past them and helped the woman to her feet, pulling her back away from the two SOLDIERS fighting full out.

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance; hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey," the crimson commander replied, quoting his adored poem as he jinked to the side, avoiding a heavy blow of Angeal's sword and swinging his own towards the raven head, nearly taking off the top of his skull, "in my own salvation, and your eternal slumber!"

"What did you tell her, Genesis!?"

He laughed as he replied, holding back the black haired SOLDIER with ease, "I simply told her what you could not, Angeal, the true meaning of our existence! Of the monster you really are!"

Zack pulled the woman away, not willing to get in between the two men as they fought relentlessly, their fury released as Angeal protected his mother from a scorned lover's rage. Genesis slashed his blade again, Angeal ducking down under him and slamming the side of his body into the auburn's chest, throwing him to the ground before he began to throw punches into his face, attempting to break his jaw as he pummelled Genesis into the ground. Genesis' eyes widened with blazing anger at being so disrespected and his entire body became flames, throwing Angeal into the air in a massive explosion. The town around them shook before the power of Genesis Rhapsodos, his black wing erupting in a blizzard of dark feathers and flames.

"You used me…" Genesis hissed, his weapon held steady before the raven head who pulled himself back to his feet, buster sword clenched in his hands as he faced his ex lover, "after everything I did for you…"

"He didn't use you Genesis!" Zack shouted, having got the woman to run and hide in one of the buildings, drawing his own broadsword as he approached the crimson commander, speaking up for his mentor as Angeal simply continued to glare at his childhood friend.

Genesis let draw a low, pained laugh, heaving for air as he cringed as the bleeding wound on his arm. His wing spread further into the air behind him, flames radiating from his very body.

"And so the puppy speaks up for his master…" his eyes narrowed, blade suddenly radiating red as his true powers flowed through it without relent, "dogs should learn to hold their tongues!" he slashed his sword towards Zack multiple times, casting red strikes of power which the second class blocked, skidding across the ground, dust billowing from the heels of his boots as Angeal took the opportunity to rush forward on Genesis yet again, their blades colliding as Genesis hindered his attack useless again, sparks flying from the burning weapons as Angeal grunted, holding steady against Genesis. The crimson commander simply narrowed his eyes, smirking. He twisted round, using his wing as a shield against another attack and spreading it out in a sudden move, using it to throw Angeal back through the air. Angeal landed on his back a few metres away as Genesis leapt onto him, slashing his sword through the ground when Angeal shifted his head to the side to avoid being decapitated.

Angeal slammed his head into Genesis', causing the auburn to stagger back momentarily; enough time for Angeal to get to his feet and slash his sword down, but was parried yet again by his old friend. Genesis was no longer smirking, his face contorted into a hideous grimace as flickers of golden power burst from between their blades. Zack rushed towards them, shouting again to try and get them to stop and listen.

"Genesis, Angeal loves you!"

Genesis' sapphire eyes widened considerably upon hearing these words. He slashed one last time at Angeal to distract him so he could fly back, landing on both feet with his blade lowered partially, glaring at his fellow commander, wing curling up over him as he did so. Angeal shot Zack an outraged glance to which Zack raised his eyebrows, as though asking what else he was supposed to say to get him to stop. The crimson commander was silent as he awaited to hear his old friend, who seemed to be racking his brain for something to say.

"I…" Angeal stared on at the still scowling Genesis, who was waiting to continue their battle if what he said was not worth hearing, "I…don't know…"

That was all it took. Genesis was on him again, slashing madly as Angeal used his sword as a shield to block the attacks. Zack rushed in to help his mentor out but could not get close due to the power generating from the two weapons colliding, the auburn haired SOLDIER going full out, not caring about how his arm still continued to bleed across the ground. Zack turned his eyes to one of the trails of red which came from the commander's arm, watching as the blood seemed to faze away into ash before disappearing completely.

What…?

Genesis halted his attacks abruptly as he noticed Zack's eyes widening at the sight of the remnants of his wound disappearing as though it never existed. He spread out his wing and flew up onto one of the rooftops of the buildings, squatting down as he stared at the two men before him, holding out his bloodied arm.

"Do you not know what we are, Angeal?" he ripped open his jacket sleeve, showing the grotesque wound which did not heal, instead having a few black feathers growing out of the twisted mess, "we are monsters. Created for the sole purpose to kill." he ripped out the feathers from his arm, throwing them into the air as he snarled, "you think ShinRa gives a damn if we live or die!? We are nothing but genetic freaks, just like Sephiroth!"

"That's not true!" Zack found himself yelling, Genesis tilting his head towards him, "Genesis…we can help you! I know what's wrong with you!"

Genesis simply smirked at the younger man.

"My friend, your desire…is the bringer of life, the gift of the Goddess…" his reply was cold, drained of all energy as he slowly stood upon the roofing, but he did not flee, curious to as what Zackary Fair was referring to, "you were created by that fool Hollander, too?"

"No," Zack shook his head, then threw an arm to the side, "but I know what's wrong! You're degrading because of the wound on your arm! You will die if you don't get S cells soon!"

Genesis raised an eyebrow at this.

"Hollander told me there was no cure."

"He's lying!" Zack shook his head, "please, Genesis! If not for me, for Angeal!"

The crimson commander simply tilted his head towards his childhood friend. Angeal was still holding the buster sword, waiting for his next imminent attack. Genesis let draw a low purr, despite his current main from the bullet still thoroughly embedded in his bone. Whatever Zackary was referring to, these 'S cells' as he called them, most likely had something to do with the silver haired General Sephiroth himself. But how he would attain these cells without the General trying to kill him first was a mystery to him. Not only that, but the scientist Hollander, of whom he had kidnapped once his slaughter on the forty ninth floor was halted shortly after beginning, before he had had the chance to burn Zack alive, had told him before he had received the bullet wound that both he and Angeal were degrading at a slow rate which would only quicken now that Angeal had been sexually active. Genesis had snarled at the man as he questioned him, still bitter from being rejected by his childhood friend, demanding to know more of his condition. Hojo had entered the room and simply told him he was an experiment gone wrong, as was Angeal, and would never be as brilliant as the wondrous General, his son. Genesis had taken every last ounce of his strength not to gut the scientists right then and there, instead taking his anger out a few days later after stowing in hate on anyone who came near him, then turning his blade on the humans he had served so willingly until now. He would not die a ShinRa dog, beckoning to every call and command given from that obese fool of a President. No, he would go down fighting, as a hero, worthy of the Goddess, before his final breath.

And he would take Angeal down screaming with him.

He leapt into the air, slashing his blade towards. The tip of his sword running down Angeal's chest, blood splattering the steel as Zack lunged between them and threw Genesis back with one mighty slash, the crimson commander hit his back against a building wall, sneering as he looked up at the hideous cut he had left down Angeal's chest, trailing from his right collarbone and down to his waist. He had gotten so close to embedding his sword into the one man he had ever loved, the one who had torn out his very love and stabbed it through with his ridiculously oversized weapon, that having tasted the scent of blood on his lips, Genesis would never stop until he had the man's heart on a plate.

Zack stood before Angeal, refusing to let Genesis get any closer to his now near crippled mentor. Angeal fell to a knee, running his fingers across the wound and staring at the blood on his hands, his eyes wide in disbelief. The crimson commander swung his blade to the side, flicking the scarlet liquid from his weapon and instantly cleansing it. The second class readied his broadsword, awaiting for the next attack.

When the helicopter rose over behind them and released a rocket towards the first class. Genesis leapt out of the way as the building behind him exploded into flames and rubble, the ear deafening release of energy causing the ground to quake beneath them. Reno held the TURK helicopter steady and fired again in rapid bursts, Genesis taking flight into the air and slashing his sword downward toward the flying machine. Reno steered out of the way, the red strikes passing narrowly close to the propellers and colliding with the ground, tearing the ground and buildings in halves. Reno snarled and activated the rattling gun, bullets flying out in rapid succession as he aimed for the commander. Genesis swooped out of the way, realising he was not going to get past the helicopter in time to watch Angeal's purest suffering, hissing loudly and turning, making his way through the skies and disappearing into the now blackened clouds above, the fires roaring as they poured smoke into the celestials above.

Zack turned and grabbed Angeal as he slunk backward, lying him down as he examined the wound and began to rip at his own shirt, using it to try and stop the bleeding but finding it was not helping.

"Hang on, Angeal!" Zack turned and desperately searched the skies until he found the helicopter heading to pursue Genesis, he shouted into his cell phone when Reno picked up, "Reno, bring it down! We have to get Angeal back to base!"

"Yo, quit your yelling." Reno muttered, pressing a few buttons and flicking switches before he lowered the helicopter towards the ground, landing a few hundred metres from the SOLDIERS.

"Angeal…"

Zack turned his eyes up from Angeal to watch as the elderly woman approached, dropping to her knees as the man smiled up at her slightly, cringing from the pain.

"Mother, this really isn't the time…"

"Nonsense, there's always time." the woman shook her head, holding Angeal's hand as tears broke through her eyes, Zack relaxing as Reno ran towards them with an emergency first aid kit, falling to his knees.

"I'm not cut out for this, yo!" he complained, opening the dark green bag and searching through it for bandages.

"Give that to me." Angeal's mother, Gillian Hewley, demanded, nearly grabbing the bag as Reno passed it to her. She began to stop the bleeding, Zack watching as he held onto Angeal's arm, terrified for his safety. Gillian continued to fix her son up, not glancing at Zack as she did so, though addressed him, "so, you must be Angeal's puppy."

Zack flustered. Why did the man insist on calling him such? Angeal chuckled as Zack rubbed the back of his head, before they helped Angeal onto the helicopter, his mother coming along with them as Zack sat in the front seat with Reno, a headset over his ears as they took off, heading back to the ShinRa facility in Midgar, not realising that behind them, Banora was marked down as a target for the submarine's missiles close by, soon to put the town to nothing more than waste and history.


	31. Chapter 31

_AN ;; Time for a Cloud and Sephy chapter. I'm going to try keep it fairly stable between Cloud and Zack chapters, and Cloud with the General, although I have already decided how the story is going to end. Don't worry, there'll probably be at least 80 chapters before I get anywhere close to ending. So you're all stuck with me for now, sorry. x_x_

_Now, time to break Red XIII / Nanaki out of the science department. Question, am I the only one who gave him his real name in the game, or did everyone use Red XIII for him instead? Time to find out how Cloud plans to get his old friend out ~_

**CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**

"The Cait Sith alpha version is fifty percent complete, Cloud."

Cloud Strife nodded as he sat in Reeve Tuesti's office in ShinRa's Urban Development halls, looking at the blueprints held out to him. The man, in his late twenties, ran a hand through his beard as the blonde SOLDIER examined the designs of the robot cat and moogle ride, before handing them back to him.

"How long will it take you to complete it?" Cloud questioned, crossing his arms as Reeve put the papers back in his briefcase, before bringing out the robotic head of Cait Sith, still unpainted and very much in progression of being created. He handed it to him and Cloud smiled slightly, staring down at the eyes of his old friend. "he looks…"

"Different?" Reeve grinned partially, leaning back against the office desk opposite Cloud, "I've been adding improvements, due to you returning my, ehm, memories," he ran his hand through his hair, still not quite grasping with the whole madness of the situation, "I was able to see all my past flaws in the design, thus creating this model to near perfection."

Cloud handed the head back to him before continuing.

"Nanaki's here."

"…Red?" Reeve's eyes widened, "he's here? Where?"

"In the laboratories on the sixty eighth floor." Cloud shook his head, "we have to get him out before Hojo performs his experiments on him. Who knows what he could be planning this time?" the man was a sociopath, a murderer, with no conscience towards morality or self respect of his profession. All he wanted was to great the most powerful being in existence, so he would be forever remembered as a great scientist. He cared not how many people got hurt, or even killed, in the process of doing so. While Nanaki had not been put through the same horrific research that Cloud and Zack had undergone in their four years of capture, he had still had the ghastly roman numeral of thirteen tattooed into his flank, as an ever present reminder of his time under the madman's hand. Cloud would not allow that monster to ever hurt any of his friends again.

"What are you planning?" Reeve questioned, stood in his business suit without tie. He had stopped wearing it ever since he had had his memories restored by Cloud, much to the offence of Scarlet and the President, who took it as an act of defiance. Which it was, though small. It still gave him a sense of power and credibility he felt as though had been lost to him during his time as a mindless employee of ShinRa.

"If I distract them, you can get in and break him out." the blonde replied, thinking.

"We will need to disable the security system, otherwise the cameras will catch me, even if Hojo doesn't." Reeve explained, Cloud held up his hand curtly.

"I can deal with Hojo, if you can get the security system down." he glanced around, making sure there were no other presences in the office. With his mako enhanced senses, while he himself could blend into the shadows without being seen, anyone who could be listening nearby would be detected by keen, sharpened eyes. When he figured there were no TURKS in the room or close by, he nodded to Reeve to continue.

"I can pull it down for ten minutes, at the most. You will need to keep Hojo out of the science department while I get Red."

Cloud thought to himself. He could set fire to the elevators, or even kill the man, but both would end up with him most likely being either thrown out of SOLDIER or brought to the TURKS for interrogation before his body was dumped in the slums - or given to the science department for Hojo to play with. He shuddered at the thought.

Then he realised. A smile made it's way across his lips as he turned to Reeve Tuesti, nodding.

"I can give you half an hour. That any good?"

"Perfect." the man grinned, "when do you want to proceed?"

"…This afternoon?"

"…That's a bit short notice, Cloud."

"I know, but the longer Nanaki is in there, the more danger he's in." Cloud watched as Reeve raised his eyebrows, then sighed, shaking his head.

"Fine. I can do that for you. But you have to make sure Hojo does not come back before I'm finished, or I'll be dragged off to Tseng and shot on the spot as an enemy of ShinRa."

Cloud got to his feet as he looked up at the taller man, confidence rippling through him.

"Once you get Nanaki out, tell him to return to Cosmo Canyon and find Elfé, then wait for my call." Reeve's eyes widened at the woman's name, scoffing in disbelief.

"…How on Gaia do you know the AVALANCHE leader?" he shook his head, "or should I ask rather, how on Gaia did you get her on our side?"

Cloud chuckled softly as the man leaned forward before turning and making his way back to his desk. He really was something.

"One o'clock. Thirty minutes."

* * *

Making his way towards the General's apartment, Cloud got out of the elevator at floor sixty nine and stopped, standing by the metal doors that opened to allow him to enter the hall. He had already checked for Sephiroth at his office and been greeted with silence, and the man was not in the training rooms, as Cloud had began to remember the General's weekly schedule. He felt a bit like an obsessive schoolgirl, figuring out where the silver haired man would be at certain hours of the day, but as he checked the clock in the elevator behind him, he noticed it was already quarter past the twelfth hour. He made his way forward, not particularly wanting to be so close to the General's living quarters but knowing he would find him nowhere else. Cloud noticed the plants which had been burnt by Genesis had been replaced by strange statues instead, to which he found absolutely hideous and wanted to dropkick out down the elevator shaft. He stopped by the door and knocked once, loudly, before shaking his wrist at the small numbness from hitting the metal door. The door slid openly shortly after, not leaving Cloud standing there for long, to the General wearing nothing but his pants and a towel over his shoulders. Cloud flustered and looked away, rubbing the back of his head as Sephiroth looked down at him, wondering why he was there.

"Cloud…?" water was still running down his dampened hair as he stood at the entrance of his apartment, having been interrupted whilst taking a shower. He had thought to spear whoever had had the audacity to approach his apartment without calling first, to which even Genesis obeyed the rule of. However upon sensing it was the small blonde, he left Masamune on it's stand and opened the door to find Cloud's eyes trailing over his chest. He couldn't help but smile inside, but held it back, keeping on his ever solemn expression as the blood rushed to Cloud's cheeks.

"I was wondering…whether you'd like to…spar again with me, sir."

Now this was most certainly interesting. Why would Cloud be willing to throw himself to the wolves, unless he really did have a masochistic complex? Sephiroth's smirk was no longer contained as he removed the towel from his shoulders, rubbing it against his head and gesturing for the blonde to enter. Cloud stood dumbstruck for a moment, subsequently following the General in. He was taken aback by the sheer size of the apartment; with three large couches, a godly large wooden desk opposite the huge plasma television screen, while the kitchen itself was the size of Reeve's office, complete with two refrigerators, while down to the hall opposite the kitchen across the living area Cloud pictured what the General's bedroom looked like. But there's no windows, Cloud thought, as he shuffled into the middle of the room and leaned slightly onto a sofa arm when the General disappeared into his room. When he returned shortly after, Cloud leapt to his feet and saluted, straightening his back and cursing himself for acting so relaxed in his old nemesis' apartment. Sephiroth pulled on his straps, then his long black leather jacket, before turning to Cloud, holding Masamune sheathed in it's carrier. Cloud audibly swallowed at the sight.

"Shall we leave?" Sephiroth questioned, in his characteristic coldness, as though he were addressing a mere cadet who had been sent to fetch him. His General side showing, Cloud simply nodded before making his way forward and out of the apartment, leaving the beauty of the rooms behind.

Simply to be followed by the silver haired demigod into the elevator instead. Cloud sighed, leaning against his buster sword as he noticed Sephiroth looking at him with cold indifference. He figured the General put on a mask when he battled, just like he could. So similar, yet so different. They got off on floor fifty and went to the next elevators, Cloud not wanting to see what the floor below them looked like after Genesis' blazing slaughter. They eventually made their way to the training rooms below ground level, Cloud glancing back at the clock again. It was twenty to one now. He had to kick things to a start. Smiling, when the door to the elevator opened, Cloud dashed forward, running at full speed towards training room forty nine. The General followed, seeming to keep up at a quick walk as Cloud turned off at a corner, colliding with a TURK who was making his way through the halls.

Rude raised an eyebrow down at the blonde who landed on his rear, staring up at him and mumbling an apology. When Rude did not move, still glaring down at the SOLDIER from behind black tinted glasses, it was the General who saved him yet again, appearing behind him and addressing the TURK by his title. Rude took a step back, horrified to being so close to the legendary ShinRa General and apologised, stepping to the side and marching past at a fast pace. Cloud blinked as he felt the hand trail it's way over his shoulder, Sephiroth chuckling into his ear.

"You should watch where you're running, Cloud."

"S-sorry, sir."

Cloud flustered and pulled himself up to his feet, looking around for the time.

"It is approximately eight minutes until one." Sephiroth informed, staring down at the blonde as he turned, bewildered - the General did not wear a watch, nor could he see a clock anywhere. He jogged into the room, drawing out his buster sword and waiting for the General to approach.

However Sephiroth seemed to be enjoying Cloud's panicking nature. He walked over to the controls just outside the room in the observation booth and took his time to choose a scenario, much to the frustration of Cloud. When he came to his preferred option, the room shifted, blue pixels building into snow peaked caps of a mountainous region, a small village over in the distance, lit by candles which could be seen for miles, despite their tiny size. Cloud stood in the cold as Sephiroth entered the room, his katana drawn and held steady as he watched the blonde look around in confusion.

"This is your homeland, is it not?" Sephiroth queried, his voice in a low tone, as though amused by Cloud's reaction to being in Nibelheim for the first time in nearly a year. If Cloud was going to play a game, he would simply counter every move he pulled until it was checkmate.

"Why did you-?" Cloud turned to the General, who was smiling silently to himself. He shook his head. It didn't matter what strange actions the General took to rile Cloud's nerves. He had to make sure that Hojo would be watching their battle through one of his many hidden cameras around the facility not hooked up to the main security network. He figured he probably had five minutes to piss Sephiroth off enough so that he would use his full strength on him, probably rendering him bloody and unconscious by the end, but if it meant Nanaki would be free, he was willing to put his body on the line.

"So, Hojo is your father?" Cloud tilted his head, hoping his attempts at impersonating Genesis would work, knowing he was the only one who could ever get under Sephiroth's skin.

"Yes, though I see not how it matters." Sephiroth had already seen straight through Cloud's act. He was deliberately trying to anger him into attacking, though for what reason he did not know. His mind calculating every single word and movement Cloud said and took, the General countered, "yet you do not know your own?"

Cloud blinked. Oh, so he was going to play that card? He narrowed his eyes.

"Maybe they're related," he muttered, "considering how both are wastes of oxygen." Cloud did not care for insulting a man he had never known. If it was going to help the situation, he would do it.

"Though I agree with your observations, Cloud," Sephiroth smiled lightly, "your attempts to rile me are not going to work."

Cloud thanked the gods watching over him that he had managed to steal more materia from the training rooms. His buster sword now held an earth level two and his ice level two, which he had levelled up during training with the other third classes when he had the chance. He had also been given a level one MP steal materia from Reno which he placed in the cuff on his arm, the TURK explaining they didn't use 'fancy ass magic'. Cloud was grateful for the red head's cockiness now. He was going to need them for this.

Slashing his blade through the ground, Cloud figured that talking was not going to work, sending a quake of earth towards the General. Sephiroth leapt into the air and slashed the Masamune blade three times, sending strikes of radiating blue power towards him. Cloud rolled out of the way, running to the side and skidding to a halt when the katana rested near his throat. He blinked. Where had Sephiroth come from? He hadn't even seen that movement! Cloud jerked away as the blade sliced towards him, taking off a clipping of his blonde hair before he slammed his sword into the General's weapon to hold him back.

Sephiroth stood motionless, still wondering what Cloud was playing at. Then he noticed the security camera in the corner of the room flicking off, the lid over the lens shutting. Sephiroth found a small smile playing on his lips. The blonde certainly was compassionate, rescuing innocent animals from his father's experiments. Sephiroth blocked each attack coming from the short blonde with ease until the large icicles shot towards him, glistening with deadly intent as they shattered across the wall behind him. The General smirked widely as Cloud stood panting before him, the materia in his buster sword radiating bright green. He felt his MP being drained slightly, but ignored it. All this just to distract Hojo? If Cloud had asked nicely enough, he would have kept the man out of the way himself. But it seemed the blonde did not want his help. No, but he may not desire his assistance, but if they were not sparring in the training room, with his father most definitely watching over, he would not have been able to pull this off. Which made Sephiroth wonder - who had Cloud sent to get the beast out during this distraction?

There were three options. Zackary Fair, the boy's only real friend in the facility that he knew of, had been sent to Banora with Angeal to retrieve Genesis, while the TURK Reno was their helicopter pilot. The third class Corporeal Riley would not dare go against ShinRa. So that had to mean Cloud had many more allies that he did not know of. It simply made his interest with the blonde deepen. Why were people, including himself, so drawn to the boy?

Sephiroth was pulled abruptly from his thoughts when Cloud leapt onto him, tackling him to the floor in a very Angeal like move, to which he had probably learned from Zack. The General lay there, amused, as Cloud leapt back, drawing his sword and rushing towards him again. Sephiroth simply raised his blade in a flash, the tip of Masamune pressing against Cloud's jugular. The blonde held the blade above his head, eyes widened, the General smiling softly at the sight. Cloud lowered the sword behind him, holding it to the side with his arms spread out partially to show he surrendered. Sephiroth simply trailed the edge of his sword down Cloud's neck, then sliced, his shirt coming open to reveal a small scar upon his chest just below his left collar bone. Pressing Masamune against the scar until a trail of red liquid ran from the white mark, Sephiroth suddenly blinked, flashes of white coursing through his mind as he pictured himself cutting into the boy and holding him up against a mako container, the standard military Cloud grimacing in agony as he struggled on the sword like a fish out of water. Sephiroth closed his eyes and moved his sword away from Cloud in one quick movement, holding a hand to his head. What kind of hallucination was that? A vision? A…memory? He had not suffered one of those for many years, not since he had stopped taking the strange medication handed out to him by his father, Hojo. Yet standing so close to Nibelheim, the General could feel the flames upon his skin, a rush of sudden anger flowing through him.

The alarms going off, flickering red into the training room, brought the General back to reality. He stood as Cloud looked around, feigning that he did not know what was going on. Sephiroth closed the gap between them and grabbed Cloud's throat in one hand, pulling him back against his front and holding him there.

"You think me foolish, Cloud?" he leaned his lips into the boy's shivering body, lips mere millimetres from his ear, "I know exactly what you've done."

Cloud said nothing as the General refused to release his grip around him. He hoped Reeve had succeeded in getting Nanaki out, knowing the feline would be able to make his way out of the facility himself without his assistance, tearing down guards as he ran. When he noticed the cameras switch off, he pleaded to the lifestream that Hojo would be watching from his own devices, rather than the security network. TURKS would be all over the science department, so Reeve would have had to make a mad dash back to his office before anyone could note his absence. He thanked his old friend for taking the risk, but it seemed he was much more the one in true danger as his old nemesis held him. Cloud murmured his reply.

"Hojo would have…tortured him…" he swallowed as the fingers pressed tighter against his skin, feeling the General's blade slowly make it's way back into it's sheath as he ran his other hand under Cloud's shirt. The blonde's eyes were widened in confusion and terror as he felt the fingers stop on his scar, the one this very same man had given him.

Sephiroth said nothing as he pressed into the cut slightly, drawing a murmur of pain from the boy in his arms. When he withdrew his fingers to examine the red liquid upon his skin, he pressed them to his lips, tongue slowly running over the bitter fluid. He closed his eyes after a moment, withdrawing his grip from around Cloud. This made much, much more sense.

"You are an ancient." he smiled slightly, "as am I."

Cloud knew the General believed himself to be a cetra, having been told from a young age, rather than his true birth. He said nothing as Sephiroth smiled down at him as though he had found a lost treasure he had been searching for so very long. He got back to his feet and listened as SOLDIERS ran past the training room doors, shouting as they ran towards where Nanaki would most likely be escaping out into the depths of the Midgar slums.

"Yes." Cloud replied, quietly, then turned to the General, snapping, "you can't tell anyone!"

"Cloud, you have so little faith in me?" he leaned into the shorter male, still smiling ever so slightly.

"I...I don't know." Cloud admitted, turning his eyes to the feline gaze of the General.

"You truly believe I would give you to anyone?" he whispered lowly, his lips closing in on Cloud's. However, the blonde was none too happy with the words this man had chosen and flustered with anger like a kicked chocobo.

"Give me? I was not yours to begin with!" as he retorted loudly, Cloud narrowed his eyes, fury boiling through him towards the arrogant man he was beginning to believe was not truly that bad. Sephiroth just continued to smirk, ignoring the commotion beyond the room.

"Then offer yourself to me." he replied, watching as Cloud's sapphire irises widened as the words trailed from his lips, "be mine."


	32. Chapter 32

_AN ;; Confession time, guys. After reading some reviews hearing that people were disgusted of the idea of Sephiroth x Cloud, I was extremely disheartened to continue the story. Yeah, I should probably cope with criticism better, but it is /my/ story. Shouldn't it be my choice who I pair up? It's fanfiction after all, and I did put the couples down in the information above the story before people began reading so they'd see what they were getting. So, eh, yeah. Here's my original chapter without the silly thrown together Zack x Cloud scene. Ugh ugh ugh it was so badly written ;_;. To my other reviewers, however, thank you for your continued support and for putting up with me on this site for around a week now. I get I'm not the best writer in the world, but I really, really wanted to put pen to paper with this story. So, yeah. Thanks guys for taking a moment to read this little rant. :)_

**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**

Reeve leant to the slide, peering out past the corner of the wall. Nanaki was crotched by his side, staying close to the shadows as SOLDIERS marched onward near them, searching the city for the escaped experiment. They were stood in sector eight of the slums, having been unable to get far due to the alarms going off and most of the doors locking down on them. The large feline had rushed forward, sliding under the bars and holding them up with his back as Cait Sith's creator crawled under, nodding a thanks to the beast, then turning to see the Cait Sith head had fallen out of his pocket. He did not have time to reach for it as a gun fired, the SOLDIERS piling into the main entrance of the laboratory through the elevator doors. Nanaki avoided the bullets being fired at him, pulling away from the bars and allowing them to crash to the ground before the two rushed towards the opposite end of the science department, Reeve shouting when they came to a sudden wall.

"Where do we go from here?!"

Nanaki turned his jaws towards where they had came from, tail swishing from side to side as the SOLDIERS broke through the security bars.

"You get out of here, I will hold them off." following in his father, Seto's pawsteps, Nanaki unsheathed his claws and let out a deep, vibrating growl. The suited man turned to him, shaking his head.

"No! we're going to get through this together or not at all!" he turned up to the ventilation shafts above them, "Sephiroth's apartment is on the floor above us. If we can get to there, we stand a chance!"

Nanaki nodded, allowing Reeve to stand on his shoulders as he climbed into the shaft, searching for a light. The feline leapt up after him, claws clattering against the metal as he pulled himself in, following Reeve from behind as they made their way over the SOLDIERS below, guns drawn and ready to fire.

"Where did they go!?"

"Check the rooms!"

Reeve swallowed and shuffled closer to the turning point, Nanaki sheathing his claws so he made no noise, auburn fur running across the metalwork. Reeve made his way into the corner and continued to crawl forward, the feline only a foot behind him as he avoided hitting his feet against Nanaki's muzzle. When Nanaki's bracelets hit the metal, causing a clanging to echo through the shafts, they heard an outraged shout from behind them. Suddenly, bullets started firing up into the shafts, leaving holes of light in their wake. One sliced through Nanaki's thigh, the beast letting out a roar of pain as Reeve started to hurry forward, not caring how loud they were now. Once they reached a sudden wall, an eight foot shaft going straight up above them, Nanaki helped Reeve up, the man standing on the feline's back as he pulled himself into the next shaft, turning and holding out his arms. Nanaki dug his claws into Reeve's shirt as he pulled the beast up into the shaft with him, before realising they were above the General's apartment.

"Let's just hope the General isn't in…" Nanaki murmured, glancing behind as his flame tail began to heat up the metal shaft to a bright orange.

Reeve kicked open the ventilation panel of Sephiroth's ceiling, landing in the room on his feet before Nanaki followed, crouching down as he examined the rooms with his beast senses, determining the General was very much not in. The SOLDIERS required two key cards to enter Sephiroth's apartment alone, so the two re-caught their breaths before continuing.

"Once we get out, then what?" Nanaki questioned, "are the others waiting for us?"

"No, Cloud has not managed to meet them yet." Reeve shook his head, "go to Cosmo Canyon, find the woman Elfé and wait until Cloud calls you."

"Elfé? The AVALANCHE leader?" Nanaki shook his head, "Cloud certainly is something. Will you come with me?"

"I can't, I told Cloud I would get you out, not that I would leave too."

"But they've seen your face now, you can't stay here."

"I've not finished the Cait Sith robot yet."

"You can use Bugenhagen's lab!" Nanaki growled, refusing to lose his friend after they had all been torn apart at the end of the world by the Jenova infected, "this is what Cloud wanted! we'll be safe at my home!"

Nanaki growled lowly when the door suddenly flashed red, the SOLDIERS outside gathered around it as they tried to kick it in. He still had the enemy skill materia in his bangle, casting Big Guard on them to increase their MP, speed and to half any damage they took. Reeve turned to him with wide eyes.

"I can't fight them!"

"You're not going to! Stay out of my way!" when the SOLDIERS burst through the door, guns drawn, Reeve backed away before diving behind a couch, the bullets firing in rapid succession. Nanaki cast Beta, causing a blaze of fire around him as he rushed forward, their guns melting beneath the heat, knocking the men down in one powerful hit, rendering them unconscious. Nanaki turned to Reeve as he rushed past him, picking up one of the less badly damaged guns and nodding. The feline led the way as they dived into the elevator, snarling as he scratched at the buttons. "Damnit, we need a key card!"

Reeve smiled and pulled out his own, swiping it through. When it did not work, he snapped, "they must have disabled the lifts!"

"How are we meant to get out of here!?" when the elevator beneath them began to creak, beginning to collapse as the wires below them were cut, Nanaki snarled, "we have no choice but to go up!"

Reeve wrapped his hands on the wire, while Nanaki bit down with his teeth, as the metal box went shooting down below them, they went flying up. Reeve hung onto the rope as he slashed his key card to open the elevator doors, allowing them into the President's office. The two fell onto the floor, but when they turned up, they found they were confronted by one of the men Reeve and Nanaki had least wanted to meet.

"Reeve Tuesti, director of Urban Development." Tseng held his gun to Nanaki's head, stopping the beast from moving any further as a low growl escaped him, "and the escaped specimen. Your loyalty to ShinRa has waned, Tuesti."

"ShinRa is killing the planet!" Reeve snapped back as he was cuffed by the SOLDIERS, dragging them forward and onto his knees before the TURK leader, Nanaki being roped around his legs and jaws to hold him in place, tail lashing wildly, "they're draining the lifestream, killing us all! How can you stand back and watch as the planet dies before your very eyes!?"

"You're starting to sound like AVALANCHE…" Tseng muttered.

"If the planet dies, who will pay you then?!" Tseng simply ignored Reeve when he felt the phone vibrating in his pocket.

Holding the phone to his ear, he accepted the call and received his orders. He nodded, "Understood, Sir." before putting the cell back into his pocket, holding the gun to Reeve's head. "Direct orders from the President are to put you down like the dog you are. Any last words, Tuesti?"

"Go to hell…" Reeve's eyes narrowed, Nanaki letting out a loud snarl as he struggled against his bounds.

Tseng pulled the trigger.

"Oi, ShinRa dogs!"

Tseng's bullet went through the floor, narrowly missing Reeve's head as it scratched past his ear, blood spurting from the new wound as the hijacked TURK helicopter started firing into the office, glass shattering as Tseng ducked down, the SOLDIERS around him being impaled with bullets. Reeve looked up at the grinning brunette, holding a rifle in her hands as she held out her hand.

"Reeve Tuesti, Red Thirteen, your ship awaits!"

Biting down on his cuffs, Nanaki's fangs tore through the metal to release the suited man before throwing his own bounds from his body, rushing forward and out of the office, leaving Tseng to fire behind at their trail as they ran onto the balcony. Grabbing onto Elfé's hand, Reeve was lifted into the helicopter, Nanaki leaping from the banister separating the rooftop from the sudden drop down to the plate, clawing down into the floor of the helicopter before he was pulled up by Elfé and Reeve. Tseng continued to fire at them as the helicopter was turned away, avoiding the missiles fired from ShinRa's defences as more helicopters were dispatched after them, chasing them down.

"Take us closer to the plate, Shears!" Elfé commanded, the two males falling on their sides and panting heavily as more bullets were fired towards them, explosions going off in their wake.

"Righto, m'am!" the pilot replied, suddenly turning the helicopter towards the ground. Reeve and Nanaki held on as they came to a halt, Elfé yelling at them.

"Get to the sewers! Cloud will meet you there!"

Reeve and Nanaki were thrown from the helicopter as it was hit in the tail propeller, Elfé saluting them as the flying machine powered it's way back into the sky to lead the SOLDIERS away. Nanaki rushed forward through the crowds, civilians jumping out of the way as the feline snarled at them, Reeve following close behind. They came to a sudden drop, all eighty metres down to the slums below. But what choice did they have? Nanaki leapt into the air, Reeve hanging onto his back as they plummeted down.

After landing in the piles of garbage in sector eight, Nanaki had cast heal on them, clearing the wound on his thigh and fixing the bruises fast developing on Reeve's arms and cut on his cheek, then waited as the man looked around, examining the area. They had to make their way to a manhole and quickly before they were found and captured again. There were no second chances. Nanaki created a distraction, casting fire into the alleyway as Reeve ran, then the feline waited. The SOLDIERS arrived in moments, holding their guns toward him. Nanaki rushed forward and lunged onto the first man, slamming his jaws down into his arm and twisting, breaking it instantly before using his body as a shield from the other bullets. The beast slammed his head into a second man, then whipped his blazing tail into the third, knocking him out in a burning hit. He turned to the first man, who pulled himself to his feet, stumbling back in terror from him, until Reeve punched him in the face, shaking his hand afterward as the radiating heat shifted through his fingers. Nanaki smiled, Reeve turning and running, leading him to the manhole.

Diving in to the sewage below, Nanaki's tail fire went out momentarily, the feline growling and flicking the muck from his fur before a small flame grew again, his ears pinned back as his cat like behaviour rendered him with a disliking to being in any type of liquid. Reeve led the way through the sewer network, calling out to Cloud at the top of his lungs. Nanaki took down any monsters they encountered with ease, shoving them into the murk and holding them there until they stopped squirming, drowning in the human waste. Reeve stopped when he came to a crossways leading out to three different routes, having located no signs in their entire journey through the network. He shouted out again, but was met with silence, other than the sound of metal clanging in a repeat succession every few moments against the cement walls. Reeve sighed, realising Cloud had found them, though Nanaki continued to growl.

However, when they were found, it was not by the blonde.

The disheveled red head smirked coyly at the two, the majority of his suit perfectly clean despite being in the sewage, other than the two foot of shit he stood in. He tilted his head slightly, examining the clear disappointment and horror showing from Reeve Tuesti, while the beast stood unmoving other than it's tail slowly passing from side to side, those golden irises staring straight through him.

"Let us pass, TURK." Reeve stated in a ragged breath, his muscles aching from running. Nanaki continued to glare at the seventeen year old, recognising him as the one who had attacked their party numerous times during their fight against the crazed General in the past world.

"Can't do that, yo." Reno replied with a curt shrug, "direct orders from the President. You're in cahoots with AVALANCHE. Gotta get put down. The pussy cat gets returned to Hojo."

"But they're murderers! they're killing the planet!"

"Yo, I don't ask questions. Money is money." Reno replied, nonchalant toward the Urban Development director, and the state of the planet.

Nanaki growled deeply at this. When they heard a second pair of footsteps begin to get closer to the TURK, both Nanaki and Reeve were silent, expecting another TURK.

"Yo, I found 'em." tapping the baton against his shoulder, Reno tilted his head slightly, tongue protruding, "oi, Cloud?"

Cloud slammed his fists down into the back of Reno's head, knocking him out. Reeve and Nanaki were openly relieved to see their blonde leader, who stood smiling slightly, pulling the TURK out onto the sidewalk so he didn't drown.

"Sorry, man." he murmured, putting Reno's goggles over his eyes before turning to his old team members. Reeve rushed towards him and pulled him into a tight hug, whilst Nanaki chuckled softly.

"You're friends with this brat?" he gestured, pointing a paw to the unconscious Reno. Cloud ran a hand through his hair, smiling slightly.

"A lot of things have changed." Cloud replied, lowly, "but we can't stay here. I have to get you guys out of Midgar." he turned, Reeve releasing his grip from around the blonde, "the sewer works lead out into the sea beyond Midgar. I can get you out of this maze, but after we reach the borders, I can't go any further with you."

Nanaki nodded, understanding, listening as they heard more footsteps deeper into the network, SOLDIERS searching for them. Reeve placed his hands on the sixteen year old's shoulders.

"You're not coming with us?"

"I can't," Cloud shook his head, "not without Aeris, or Zack…or Sephiroth."

Nanaki's eyes widened. Cloud cared for what happened to the General? Sure, he was not the mad man now as he had once been, but as soon as Sephiroth discovered his true heritage, what was saying that events would not simply repeat themselves again? Zack had been close friends with Sephiroth, and yet when he discovered Jenova, his 'mother', he had turned on him and tried to kill him as though he were an enemy warrior he had never met. What was stopping him from doing the exact same to Cloud? He said nothing as he followed behind the two, Cloud leading them through the sewage network. They passed beneath sector four and continued until they were confronted by more monsters. Cloud drew his buster sword and fought them, slashing from all angles as he destroyed them, great power emanating from each strike. Nanaki watched from the sidelines, keeping his tail from getting soaked in the murk again. So this was what it meant to be a cetra, a champion of the Lifestream?

They stopped when the labyrinth began to pull away, leaving only single file tunnels, then a large, old train route which was now being used to push the sewage out towards the ocean. Nanaki slowed, holding back from exiting the sewers, turning and staring into the darkness behind them, the monsters watching from the shadows. He let out a snarl and sent them scattering, running away as he chuckled softly, flame lighting his way back towards Cloud and Reeve. They could see a thin light far down the tunnel, where the sewer pipe opened up around two dozen miles down, towards the Corel area, toward the seaside resort of Costa Del Sol.

Cloud turned to them, his eyes hardened and weary from years of constant battle. Reeve pulled himself through the waste and passed by them, nodding and patting Cloud on the back.

"Keep yourself safe till the end, alright?"

"You know me," Cloud replied, "always fighting…whether I want to or not." despite the soft laugh which escaped him, Nanaki could see the blonde was tired, as although his body had been replenished within the lifestream, reborn, his mind had not. Once Reeve started heading onward without them, giving the feline a moment with Cloud alone, Nanaki tilted his head to the side.

"I can never thank you enough for releasing me again from that man's capture." his Aztec gold irises glistening, Cloud turned his gaze down to the large beast, "but Cloud, what are your plans? You cannot stay with ShinRa forever. You will have to leave, lead us to a new future."

Cloud simply nodded once, a very slight, tilt of his chin. Nanaki frowned.

"You say you wish to save the General…" he watched as the colour began to drain from the blonde's face, "but what if Sephiroth goes insane again when he realises what he really is?"

"I wont let that happen."

"You cannot stop it, Cloud," Nanaki shook his head, "by doing this, you have put things into motion even the lifestream cannot protect you from. You cannot save them all. You will have to choose where your loyalties lie, and when that moment comes, you will either agree with your choice, or regret it for the rest of eternity."

Cloud turned his sapphire gaze from the feline, saying nothing as Nanaki continued to frown.

"Cloud, would you truly give everything to protect the enemy who caused the destruction of our world?"

"What?! it was Jenova! He didn't-!" Cloud bit his tongue, silencing himself as the feline held up a paw, pressing it against his chest.

"Where does your heart lie, Cloud?" the beast narrowed his eyes partially, noticing the way Cloud reacted from hearing his simple statement, and continued, "until you can answer that, you will be torn between two worlds. The one you belong to, and the one you wished could be real."

"But this is real…" Cloud murmured, closing his eyes.

"No. You know in your heart that the General will turn on you when he finds out his true means of birth. But if you take him down now, before he has the power of Jenova inside, her corruption within him, rotting his very mind," Cloud's eyes widened at this proposition Nanaki was putting onto the table, offering it as an alternative option, "you will save so, so many lives. But if you try to save Sephiroth, you know, deep inside yourself, that you will lose us all."

_AN ;; *wipes sweat from brow* Phew. This is SO much better than the previous version of chapter thirty two I posted. Makes far much more sense, too. Added materia into the story as I feel I've been neglecting it slightly. From now on Sephiroth, Cloud and Zack are all getting some materia for each battle. Some words of wisdom coming from Nanaki there, but will Cloud listen? He wants to save everyone, Angeal, Genesis, Zack, Sephiroth, Aeris... But Nanaki can see how weary Cloud is, and despite is psychical strength, his mind is weak, tired, desperate for the rest that the lifestream will never allow him. Oh, you may have guessed already, but I love Elfé XD she reminds me of Lightning from FFXIII._

_ Anyway, reviews for the new version of this, yes? :) - Nightfall_


	33. Chapter 33

AN ;; There's going to be some changes in the battle scenes I write, guys. More materia will be used on Cloud's side, as I've been neglecting that aspect so far, as I stated in the previous chapter rewrite. Also, I'll give Zack some Earth materia for his next battle. Sephiroth will be getting lightning and time materia. Oh, and the battle scenes are going to go extreme style, much more unique moves although I'll keep them in character, so Sephiroth wont exactly punch Zack in the face or whatnot. You'd think President ShinRa would get pissed at the SOLDIERS trashing the simulator rooms all the time, lol.

**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**

The stale stench of the infirmary poured into Zackary Fair's nostrils as he entered the room, holding a small puppy plush for his mentor. Angeal had been in for four days since they had returned from Banora, which he had later found out from Cissnei had been destroyed to prevent Genesis from ever using it as a base again, after he had managed to wipe out the population of forty civilians in the village. One had survived; Angeal's mother, Gillian, who sat by her son's inanimate body as he rested, and then smiled and talked with him once he awoke. Director Lazard had allowed the woman to stay in Angeal's apartment, leaving Zack to sleep on the couch when he offered up his bedroom to her, knowing it would be what his mentor wanted. Making his way towards the hospital bed, he sat on the metal chair opposite Gillian and placed the toy by Angeal's side. Angeal did not turn to him. Zack sighed quietly. The first class had gone back to being silent towards everyone except his mother after his fight with the crimson commander, refusing to even look at Zack. Was it because the pup had told Genesis he loved him? When Gillian smiled at him softly, reassuring him that Angeal did care, Zack got up out of his chair, pacing the walkway between the ends of the infirmary beds. The nurse scolded him, telling him to be quiet; many of the victims of Genesis' slaughter on the forty ninth floor lay sleeping in the beds, having suffered third degree burns and being given skin grafts created by the science department from single human cells. It was incredible what the corrupt facility of ShinRa could produce Zack had expected them to cart off the SOLDIERS to the laboratories for Professor Hojo to play with. But it seemed out of all the people in the infirmary who had suffered Genesis' wrath, Angeal was the only one who was not steadily getting better, his wound refusing to heal, as though he were made of plastic rather than human flesh. They had stapled the wound shut and changed the bandages daily, but they still leaked out a horrible mixture of blood and dark yellow pus. Zack had offered his blood for a transfusion but was refused by Hojo, who simply laughed at the boy, knowing his blood would not work with the G cells Angeal contained. Zack wished he could ask Sephiroth for help, beg him for his DNA to save his mentor, but if he did that, they would question how he knew what the cure was, and then Cloud would be in danger.

Cloud…

He had only seen the blonde once since he had returned with Angeal, being too consumed with writing paperwork for Lazard, and guarding over his mentor like the loyal pup he was, when he had collided with Cloud in a corridor whilst he carried files for one of the ShinRa employees. Paperwork scattered everywhere, much to the horror of the woman, while Cloud rubbed his head, Zack muttering an apology before he realised who it was. He pulled the blonde to his feet and gathered the paper for him, before the woman snatched it away from them and made her own way down the hallway with them. Cloud had laughed softly, bringing a small smile to Zack's lips. However, he was too concerned for Angeal to stay long, rushing off to return to his side.

And now he stood in the infirmary, with his mentor clearly uninterested in responding to him or even acknowledging his existence. When the doors slid open, Zack had thought it would be Cloud coming to visit him and save him from the waves of loneliness he was drowning under, but had found it was none other than the first class General Sephiroth making his way to his old friend's side. Angeal smiled slightly and tried to sit up to greet him, then grimaced at the pains in his chest. Zack flew to him, concerned, but Angeal continued to ignore him, his mother telling him to settle down.

"General Sephiroth." Gillian breathed, but she did not lower her eyes, her stare suddenly turning into a sharp glare, "and where were you when that murderer was hurting my son, General?"

"Miss Hewley," the General replied without a faint trace of emotion in his words, "I was engaged in other affairs. Accompanying Commander Hewley and second class Zackary Fair to Banora were not my mission commands."

"To hell with the commands! You know how powerful that beast is! You left these boys to die! My son!" Gillian suddenly got up, turning away as Angeal tried to hang onto her. She pulled away from him, walking out of the infirmary with tears in her eyes. Zack sighed. This was far, far too stressful for any normal human being to stay composed in.

Yet Sephiroth was not an ordinary human being. The silver head stood over Angeal, who was looking at the space where Gillian had once been. Sephiroth spared a glance at Zack.

"I would appreciate some time alone with the commander, Zack." the General simply stated as though he were talking to a wall, expressionless and without sympathy for either of the raven heads, both wounded; one psychically, the other emotionally.

Zack said nothing, turning and walking briskly out of the infirmary. He scowled. To hell with Sephiroth, to hell with Angeal! He didn't give a damn about the monster now leaning over his mentor, and the pain Angeal continued to inflict upon him was too hard to bare alone. He searched for the one person he knew he could always count on.

* * *

Sephiroth took a seat next to Angeal in the place where his apprentice had been, examining the toy the raven head had brought his elder. Angeal pulled himself up slightly so his shoulders were against the pillows and arms resting over the sheets by his sides, while the rest of his body stayed beneath the covers. The General had just called the blonde he was infatuated with, asking him to meet him in training room forty nine in half an hour for a spar. Cloud had agreed, having already been in the training rooms with a few third classes, including his Corporeal roommate, simply telling his friends he was meeting with the TURK Reno in thirty minutes instead. Sephiroth knew Cloud had not done this because he was ashamed, or scared of what his comrades might think. No, he had done so to keep them from interrupting their soon to be commenced battle, wanting to fight the General without the watching eyes of the other SOLDIERS.

"I see Genesis refused to return." when Angeal raised an eyebrow at him as though he were commenting on the colour of the rooms, he continued, "he told me of his plans, though I did not believe he would go through with them."

"…What?" Angeal's eyes widened, his face contorting in shock, "you knew? You knew he was going to leave? That he wanted to kill me?!"

Sephiroth ignored the outrage pouring from the injured man, who fell back from his wounds, unable to move too aggressively for the sake of his health. Sephiroth examined the bloodied bandages around his old friend's chest, picturing Genesis' blade gliding it's way through the flesh, the horrific injury beginning just below Angeal's right collarbone, as though Genesis had been aiming for the heart…

"Genesis would have left SOLDIER eventually," Sephiroth replied, his face kept in a stoic expression, words solemn, seeming disinterested in the little facts, "your disagreement with the commander simply caused his retirement to begin sooner than he had first anticipated."

"Disagreement…?" Angeal stared at the General with anger boiling in his veins, "Genesis caused this! I did nothing to him! I-"

"You engaged in sexual relations with Genesis," Sephiroth replied before Angeal could continue with his outburst, "when the alcohol left your system, you told the commander your relationship with him could not continue. You essentially, broke him."

Angeal did not know how to respond. He resorted back to the one aspect of himself he still held dearly, despite the spiteful being he had become.

"Sephiroth, my honour-"

"And now you are to tell me that your honour prohibited you from being with Genesis," the General halted his commander again, speaking with the wisdom of one who had not had to assess the situation too thoroughly to view what the problem was, "and when that excuse is no longer valid, the reason will be for him being male, your friend, a fellow SOLDIER..." though that option was no longer viable.

"I…" running a hand up onto his head, shaking fingers making their way through black, sweat ridden locks, "I think…I…I love him…" he shook his head, ignoring the pain which coursed through him as he did such a movement, "but my honour…deems that I cannot do such…things…"

"Because Genesis is male?"

"No," Angeal let out a loud grunt, sitting up fully, "I...I could never forgive myself…if I…if I ever hurt him…"

"It is too late for that now," Sephiroth felt as though he was a marriage counsellor, wondering if Cloud was waiting for him in the training room or had decided to find his TURK friend instead, "Genesis is listed as AWOL and an enemy of ShinRa. He would be killed on sight should he try to enter the facility. Unless you run your blade through his throat, I fail to see how else you can hurt him."

Angeal said nothing, not even attempting to respond as Sephiroth stood, beginning to walk out of the infirmary. He stopped, wondering what Cloud would say, moving his head slightly to the side, though did not turn to face his old friend.

"Angeal, does your honour mean anything compared to your contentment?" it was his way of asking the commander if he was willing to throw away his happiness just for the sake of being scared of hurting Genesis. He should haven taken the plunge when Genesis had first revealed his feelings to him all those years ago, when they were all nothing but teenagers who had recently met. Now, due to his actions, he could never be with the crimson commander. Unless…he left ShinRa. Sephiroth said nothing as he walked forward, intent on meeting with his own interest in the training rooms many floors below.

* * *

Casting level three ice, Cloud froze the machines in place before rushing towards them and performing one of his limit breaks, cross slash, a move where he slashed his blade multiple times through the enemy. He rendered the robot immobile, breaking through it's tracks before leaping into the air and twisting, sending a blur of grey power into the robot and splitting it in half, followed by an explosion bellowing behind him as he landed on one knee, smiling lightly.

After his conversation with Nanaki in the sewage network, his old friend explaining to him that he could not save everyone, Cloud had simply fought harder to prove this wrong, returning to training the very next day and forcing himself to fight until his muscles ached and sapphire eyes blazed with the mako pumping through his veins. Reno had wondered how he'd gotten knocked out when the two ShinRa enemies were right in front of him, so Cloud made up the story that a monster leapt onto him before he could get there, whacking his head off the ground and rending him unconscious. He told him that Tuesti and the experiment had escaped while he fought off the beast. Reno believed him, none the wiser, simply ending up being scolded afterward by Tseng for being useless before getting drunk in Cloud's apartment. The blonde left him to this and busied himself concentrating his powers into his materia, his cetra spirit allowing him to increase the glistening green orbs up a level. He had felt exhausted afterward, using up his MP to do so, and slept until the next morning. Bribing one of his roommates to take his elevator duties for the next two weeks by giving him two months payment. Seeing as he just stole everything nowadays (Yuffie would be proud), the gil meant nothing to him. Now he had two weeks to train himself in the simulation rooms, which he had began to do without stop, not even when the General had called him.

Fighting off machines as he spoke on the phone, Cloud just used his left hand to hold the cell phone, keeping his right firmly attached to the sword which acted like an extension of his arm. Sephiroth asked him for a spar, and Cloud eagerly accepted. It meant he would be able to train with the best, which would keep the mako in his body raising in power, giving him the strength to be a true hero.

Just like Zack.

So when the door slid open, turning green when he finished off the robot, and Zack Fair walked into the room, Cloud was pleasantly surprised. He still had time until the General arrived, and so held his blade steady, Zack staring at the buster sword in awe.

"Where on Gaia did you get that?" when Cloud smiled, gesturing to the hidden weapon rails behind one of the metal sheets, Zack rushed past him, diving in and looking for his own. The raven head eventually pulled out a large, standard buster sword and rushed back to Cloud, grinning like he'd just received the best present of his life. "I can't believe I've been using those shitty broadswords when there were these there all this time! Why the hell are they all hidden? Every SOLDIER should get to hold one of these!" he swung the blade in his hands, then noticed Cloud was still ready for battle, his shackles raised and feet positioned perfectly. He grinned at his younger blonde friend.

"I've got five minutes." Cloud suggested, "don't know what to do with them."

"Could get pissed with Reno," Zack was amused when Cloud let out a softened chuckle, holding his sword in his hands, "or, you could spar with a real hero." Cloud did not realise this was a dig at the General, continuing to smile.

"Oh, so you're already a hero?" Cloud mused, the two beginning to circle one another like a pair of wolves, sapphire eyes locking on, "thought you said that only counted when you hit first class."

"I'm the best SOLDIER there ever was," Zack stopped abruptly, then rushed towards Cloud, "and ever will be!"

Cloud felt the smirk rippling over his lips as he slashed Zack's blade away, the power emanating from the weapons colliding causing the two to be pushed through the air. Cloud sent a blizzard of ice towards Zack, while the raven head used his earth materia to create mountains beneath them, rocks flying towards the blonde. He slashed them away, landing with ease as an icicle flew past Zack's head as he leaned slightly to the side, then watched the ice shatter across the wall.

"Not bad, Spiky." Zack turned, but Cloud was already there, slashing his sword downward through the air, the two buster swords connecting when Zack raised his weapon to block his attack. Cloud pushed himself upward, spinning over Zack and slashing his blade into the back of his feet. Zack leapt up, landing a foot down on Cloud's sword and stopping it. He grinned down at the blonde, who continued to smirk. Zack's foot suddenly turned to ice on Cloud's sword, the second class blinking as he fell back when Cloud withdrew his sword and swung it to the side, sending Zack flying through the air.

Zack slammed against the wall, but aimed his foot toward the metal sheets, the ice around his boot shattering when he collided. Pushing himself forward from the wall, he glided towards Cloud, the blonde readying his sword again. Using his level three earth materia, the earth beneath them shot up into the air, creating a shield for Cloud. Zack slammed his head into it, going straight through. He rolled across the floor, eventually landing on his front on his fours, Cloud rushing towards him. Zack grinned and ran forward, running up the wall and twisting in the air, winking at Cloud as he passed over him, the ripples of their spiky hair merging in a sea of gold and black before Zack landed, running toward Cloud. Cloud raised his sword and the blades collided.

Sparks flew from the swords as each male refused to back down, twenty one year old Zackary Fair against sixteen year old Cloud Stife. Both equally matched, both so, so close to drawing their last, devastating blows. Zack parted the dance of swords first, falling back around a dozen metres, though Cloud continued to stand perfectly still where he was, ice flowing through his sword, casting a sheen of sparkling silver over the steel. Zack rushed forward, slashing his blade upward through the ground. Cloud sparred and held his stance, but not without a third, much thinner blade suddenly appearing within their waltz of spark and metal.

Sephiroth smirked, his green feline eyes dangerous and frozen as the two turned to him, both refusing to lower their weapons. When both Cloud and Zack used their strength to push him away, the two skidded to the side, avoiding Masamune as it cut through the floor between them, slicing through wires and metal as though he was cutting through water. Zack glanced at Cloud as though to offer him his assistance, but found the blonde's eyes were captured by the General, Sephiroth smiling deeply as Cloud stared on towards him, the katana slicing through the air towards his throat.

Zack leapt in the way and blocked the blade, keeping Sephiroth away from Cloud. Cloud blinked, snapping out of the trance as Sephiroth continued to push his weapon down on the second class, as though he were intent on cutting him in half right there. Golden spikes radiating in the silver of the ice, Cloud send a blur of snow and ice towards the General, sliding closer to Zack till they were only a few feet away. Zack threw him a grateful look, Cloud nodding as Sephiroth simply waited until the snowstorm passed within moments.

A bolt of lightning erupted from the blizzard, colliding with Cloud's sword and throwing him back. Sephiroth cut open the remainders of the storm with his sword, undeterred as he completely ignored Zack and moved toward Cloud, his blade radiating with electricity. Cloud grimaced, pulling himself up and ignoring the burns to his fingers from the lightning materia, readying his blade again when he found everything had stopped. He blinked, unable to move from where he stood, his feet seeming to be glued into place as though his features were painted upon a lifeless mannequin, appearing to be but not truly being himself. Sephiroth appeared before him, holding the mastered time materia in his hands, that signature smirk never leaving his lips. Cloud stared back, the fingers trailing over his face and towards his throat, the thumb stopping on his lower lip. Zack was faced away and luckily could not see what was happening, most likely burning in fury as he waited for the effects of the materia to wear off. The digit slowly making it's way into Cloud's lips, the blonde would have been shuddering, collapsed on the floor in a heap of pleasure as he felt the sensations pouring through him, the cold fingers trailing over his pale skin. Sephiroth continued to stare unblinking at him, as though taking in his beauty as though it were some kind of rare drug, although the only movement Cloud made were of his eyes, the pupils widening as he felt the hand against his crotch.

Suddenly as the time materia wore off, Cloud fell to the floor on his knees, dropping his sword and coughing wildly, having forgotten to breath entirely. Zack turned and rushed towards the General, but upon seeing Cloud crippled on the floor, ignored him completely and ran to the blonde, getting to a knee and shaking him.

"Cloud?! What happened?" when he saw there were no cuts in Cloud's clothing, nor blood splattered across the floor, he turned his blazing glower to Sephiroth, "what did you do to him?!"

"Why don't you ask Cloud…?" the silver hair replied simply, having turned away from them, examining his blade for any blemishes.

Zack turned to the sixteen year old with wide eyes, searching his face for any clues. Cloud simply shook his head.

"I'm fine…" Cloud's eyes were caught by the General's as he tilted his head slightly, a feline slit pupil watching him from over his black leathered shoulder, "he…did nothing…"


	34. Chapter 34

_AN ;; warning for creepy Hojo, reviewers, prepare your pitch forks, this chapter will twist your hearts - Nightfall_

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR**

Sitting by Angeal's side, Cloud rested his head on the bed, near asleep from training. Zack was opposite him at the other end of the bed, staring at his mentor as he slept. Cloud's arms crossed beneath his chin, he struggled to keep his eyes open when he realised Zack had turned his sapphire gaze to him. He raised his eyebrows slightly, but Zack did not smile. He seemed deep in concentration about something, which was never a good sign when it came to the boisterous pup. Angeal shifted slightly in his sleep, the bandages around his chest having been recently changed and so still cleansed white, unstained from the liquids inside him. Having found a supply of G cell blood kept frozen in one of Hollander's old laboratories, Zack had been given it by the mad scientist Hojo before being thrown out, the man obsessing over something on in another room. The science department appeared empty other than the new metal containment units sat in the corner, shuffling about slightly and letting out strange moans as whatever Hojo had captured in them desperately tried to break free. Zack shook his head and brought the packs to the infirmary, giving Angeal the strength to sit up fully despite the gash down his chest once the blood was fused within him. The wound had slowly began to heal, but had still had to be stapled shut to keep his chest from falling open, his body too weak from not training regularly. But his hair had already began to tinge with a strange grey tone, the roots turning white as flour as though he were aging drastically. His body was shrinking in size, the muscles disintegrating, near disappearing beneath the sheets as Zack watched on, helpless.

Genesis, the one who had done this to Zack's mentor, had not been sighted since their mission to the now nonexistent Banora, the crimson commander appearing to vanish from the map. However, Zack had began to notice quite a few SOLDIERS disappearing, nearly the whole second class troops and a large majority of the third classes suddenly going AWOL. Lazard had given the command to the TURKS to shoot them if they were found, without asking questions, a direct command from President ShinRa himself, who simply became angrier the longer Genesis was flying around Gaia, resisting capture.

Zack sighed and ran a hand through his hair, staring at the blonde who was half asleep on Angeal's bed, slouched over onto the covers, his eyes now closed as his mind began to lose itself to the realm of dreams. The raven hair chose not to disturb Cloud, noticing how since he had returned, all Cloud had done was train. He had told him of how he found another of his old friends, the creature Nanaki, in Hojo's clutches in the science department and convinced Reeve to break him out, using the General as a distraction for Hojo's ever prying eyes, giving the two the time to get out. Cloud had sent the AVALANCHE leader a message via his phone, which had been coded in some sort of strange pattern that even Zack couldn't crack; obviously done in case the TURKS were monitoring their texts and calls out of the facility.

Cloud was peaceful as he slept, reminding Zack of the little joys he still had in life. Despite the situation, he could always count on the blonde being there by his side, like a little angel sent from the ethereal above. He could almost picture small white wings upon Cloud's back along with a glistening golden halo hovering above his ragged blonde spikes.

But what Zack desired the most right now was for Angeal to acknowledge his existence. While Gillian, his mentor's mother, had shown her support with caring touches on his shoulders and even petting his head in an Angeal like way, he still felt as though the man hated him. It was obvious he loved Genesis, despite however much he wanted to preach his honour and deny it entirely. What he and Sephiroth had discussed he did not know, but he already did not trust the General one little bit.

For although Sephiroth was not trying to run his sword through Cloud anymore, the way the small blonde looked at him, hung on his every word and beckoned to his every call, near infuriated Zackary Fair. He had done something to Cloud when he used his mastered time materia, he just knew it. But the blonde acted as though nothing had happened, not even the battle between the three of them. He simply continued his life like his past world had never existed, as though Sephiroth had never tried to destroy the planet. Because Zack knew, despite the friendliness the General was showing toward Cloud, he was still the same General. When he, and he would, eventually found out about his true birth, he would act exactly the same; allowing his mind to rot and become nothing more than a servant to the alien Jenova, trying to cause the genocide of humanity and make himself some kind of supreme god. Zack would not let that happen. He'd protect Cloud with his life against every enemy of the world, whether they be someone from Cloud's past, or from their new future.

When Gillian made her way into the room, Cloud shifted slightly, sensing her presence but not awakening. Zack smiled to her slightly before turning his eyes back to Angeal. His mentor had been resting for around four hours now, having left the puppy toy on Zack's chair, rather than throw it across the room like a petulant Genesis would. Zack held the plush in his arms and said nothing as Gillian stood over them, then he got up, offering her the chair. She was gracious and sat down, her old muscles creaking as they relaxed into the metal seat. She kept her eyes on her son for a while, then turned to Zack, who was sat on the edge of the bed beside Cloud, his hand trailing closer towards his head.

"Shh, let him sleep." Gillian murmured, Zack's hand moving away from the blonde spikes to rest on his knee instead. When the pup did not say anything in response, she asked him, "who is he?" gesturing to Cloud. Although the blonde had been here before, she had never questioned his presence there, as he sat like a silent guardian angel, simply…watching.

"My friend." Zack replied softly, hoping that his voice would not awaken the sleeping cherub. When he felt Gillian still staring at him, he added, "an old friend."

"Angeal never mentioned a hedgehog."

Zack stifled a laugh. Angeal had a terrible habit of picturing people as creatures rather than humans; Zack was his puppy, the ever loyal, defensive, naïve cadet he had met when he was only sixteen years of age. Genesis, the cat. Proud, dominating, arrogant, autocratic; throwing fits whenever things did not go his way or acting like a spoilt child, but never less just as loyal and as beautiful as the raven haired second class. Sephiroth…he had never given the man a beast in his name. It seemed unfitting to class Sephiroth as any type of cute animal, the man being the very epitome of fear. When Gillian continued, he moved away from his thoughts, turning his sapphire gaze to her.

"My beautiful baby boy…I don't know if he will survive, Zack…" she turned to him, gesturing to their family heirloom, the legendary buster sword, resting by the end of the bed, just inches from his reach, "if…if the worst happens…I know he would want you to have it."

Zack stared at her as though she was saying Angeal was already dead. He could have been, of course, to Zack's knowledge, seeing as his mentor refused to even look at him when he was in the same room as him. A sigh escaping him, he could not lie to Angeal's mother.

"Angeal is degrading…" he held a hand to his face, forcing back the tears into his eyes, not allowing his resolve to break before the mother of the man who acted like a father to him, and a friend, "due to the wound Genesis gave him, his body is slowly falling apart…" turning to ash, Zack thought, but chose a different wording so as not to seem offensive.

Gillian simply smiled slightly, but she seemed disgusted with herself.

"He told me this would happen… I… I did not believe him." He? Who was he? Zack's frown signalled for Gillian that she had to tell him more, the boy not knowing what she meant, "Angeal's father, he was a scientist here…when he placed the G cells into my son, he told me should he ever receive a permanent wound, his body would start to degrade, until nothing was left but the memory of his ever being alive…" what? She had known this would happen, yet allowed it to happen? When Zack stared at her, unveiled anger in his eyes, she smiled softly, "it was for the glory of science, to help the human race…I was a foolish, naïve young woman, and now my son is suffering for it…"

"Then, you knew…Genesis…?"

"Their meeting was not coincidence," Gillian responded, her fragile body trembling slightly, "it was all planned out, right until he was taken from me at fourteen years old my his father and placed into this gods damn facility…"

Zack did not know how to react. If she had been a man, he would have lunged onto her and beaten her into a pulp. But she was just a frail, old woman who was clearly concerned for the well being of her child. He turned his stare away from her, not wanting to display the disgust in his eyes. No wonder Angeal and Genesis had befriended the sociopath Sephiroth, with parents like their own, they would not have known the difference between an angel and the very demons who now used them as mere weapons for power and wealth.

When Gillian stood, her shoes tapping softly against the concrete floor beneath them, she gave one last glance to Zack.

"Take care of my son…" she whispered, a tear beginning to run from her eye, then she looked away, making her way out of the infirmary without looking back. Zack blinked, wondering where she was heading too, not realising Angeal's eyes had been open, listening to the entire conversation.

* * *

Hojo smiled sickly sweet when the General entered the science department for his monthly check up. Sephiroth's expression was blank as always, even when he approached with the syringe in hand, rending him unconscious for the majority of the procedure. He took his blood, filling two vials as he always did, before drilling the metal pipe into the General's side and stopping when he came to a rib, filling up a vial with his marrow before sealing the wound with a laser and leaving him strapped to the table. He checked his vitals, the man being covered in a variety of different coloured wires from his head to his chest, legs and arms. Hojo ignored the sound of the females crying and begging to be released from the metal chambers close to where they stood, the other scientists having been dismissed whilst he experimented on his own child. Taking a small lock of Sephiroth's silver hair, he placed it into a vial, then mixed it with a strange chemical, watching as the locks began to melt away into nothingness. When Sephiroth began to awaken, feeling the pain in his side from where the incision had been, Hojo leered over him, grinning with delight.

"Ah, so you're awake," he left him strapped on the table, circling with his arms crossed behind his back, "I have an important experiment I wish for you to partake in, my son."

"What is it?"

Ah, ever so willing to please. If only his mother Lucrecia had behaved as such in her final months working by his side, their child kept in the containment unit within the middle of the department. After he had dealt with his wife's ex lover, the blasted TURK Vincent Valentine, leaving his body in the Nibelheim mansion laboratories for when he took his monthly research trips there, the woman had become insufferable, going so far as to demand she be given her son and allowed to leave the facility. Oh, the threat did not intimidate the professor in the slightest. Until Lucrecia had used her key cards to break into the science department during the night to take her son by force. Hojo had been experimenting on him, the boy wailing in agony as he cut into his body, the wounds healing near instantly unless he used a laser. His wife had screamed at him that he was a monster, for she did not understand the purpose of this experiment, the true meaning for Sephiroth's birth. He had allowed the woman to name their son, but other than that, she had simply been a carrier for his seed and the DNA of the beautiful, ancient Jenova to fuse within. When she had drawn a gun, he cut through her throat with the scalpel, the woman falling to her knees and clutching her neck, blood spilling out onto the sickly clean floors. What a waste, Hojo thought to himself, before pushing her down onto her back with a kick to her side, then kneeling down over her, kissing her once last time. Lucrecia had bitten his lip, drawing blood before he ripped his flesh away from her, furious that she would disrespect him even as she lay dying. He stabbed her once, twice, again, and again, and again, until her chest had so many incisions, he could no longer count how many times he had drove the blade into her. The child still screaming, he ignored Sephiroth and dragged Lucrecia by her hair towards the disposal units, which would be incinerated within seconds of being tossed down the shoot into the slums of Midgar. Lucrecia murmured something as she struggled onto life, drowning on her own blood. Hojo would have twitched an ear if he could, turning to her and holding her up by her hair.

"What was that, my dear? I'm afraid you'll have to speak louder; the baby is crying."

Lucrecia spat her blood in his face. Hojo wiped his glasses with a couple of fingers, then laughed softly.

"So stubborn, even at the end?" he tilted his head ever so slightly, his teeth glistening crimson from the wound she had given him, "what if I was to tell you, my dear darling wife, that our son will never know of your existence? He will grow up learning that Jenova is his mother, that she died during giving birth to him, that she was beloved by all. You, your face, your memories, nothing will be passed down to him…he will never know you ever existed."

Lucrecia's eyes filled with an agony much stronger than the wounds she suffered at the forms of her husband. She could do nothing as Hojo slowly lifted her motionless body into the disposal unit, her fingers trying to cling onto anything, even gripping his laboratory coat at one point before he wrenched her grip from him and threw her into the metal tunnel, hearing her frame slamming against the sides as she went down into the flames below.

But now was not the time for reminiscing on such fond memories. He had an experiment he wished to proceed with.

Releasing the straps from Sephiroth's limbs, he allowed his son to sit up as he approached the containment units. Pressing a few buttons and flicking a switch, a large plastic room began to make it's way down from the ceiling towards the floor. The very same one that Sephiroth had been imprisoned in throughout his entire childhood. The General said nothing, watching, motionless other than his cat slit pupils following his father's movements towards the boxes. He kicked them, the creatures inside letting out more wails and cries, before moved them toward the one opening of the room. Releasing the women one by one, Sephiroth watched as the four civilians crawled their way out of the boxes before huddling together within the containment room, Hojo locking himself in with them before approaching them, communicating to his son through the speakers.

"These, are for you…" he informed, running his hand over the dark thigh of one girl, her eyes wide with horror as she struggled to get away from him, but having her limbs broken, could do nothing but spasm on top of the other girls, not able to speak due to having her tongue removed. Hojo grabbed the hair of another, holding her up, her blonde locks entangled in his fingers, the woman's mouth parted in a silent scream of terror, "they were collected from the slums, bought from Don Cornio's whore house…" he turned his snide grin to the woman, running his lips over her ear as he murmured, "pure…virgins…"

Sephiroth however was disgusted. This man was a sociopath. What did he think he wanted with these girls? To have them as slaves? When he mentioned them being virgins, Sephiroth's chest tightened. He was to partake in sexual relations with these females? For what purpose? He had never done such a thing, he had never wanted too. There had been no one who he had been attracted to, even when the disposed Genesis begged him time and time again to be pounded into any nearby furniture, simply to be ignored by the silver haired man. The professor had clearly lost his mind if he thought he was willingly going to partake in this. He had no interest in these girls, who ranged from varying ages; he assumed the youngest to be around fifteen, the same lifespan to which one particular blonde was when they first met.

…Cloud.

Sephiroth would never admit it to anyone other than himself, but Cloud held his infatuations. His one and only, true desire. Everything about the teenager grasped his instant interests, from his sapphire blue eyes, to his pale, unblemished skin (other than from where he had left the scars upon him, which he fully took pride in), tiny hands, clasping onto an oversized sword which was nearly as big as his body, that gentle, small neck to which sat upon the face of an angel.

Sephiroth continued to stare on in silence when Hojo finally moved out of the room, leaving the naked women to huddle together for warmth, strange, inhuman groans coming from tongue-less mouths. The scientist locked them in, shifting towards his son with that grin ever present upon his lips.

"Well, do you not desire them?" Hojo tilted his head, noticing the General was very much unaffected by the sight of the beautiful specimens he had collected.

"What is the purpose of this experiment?" Sephiroth replied quietly, keeping his eyes upon the women as they stared back at him with fear brimming in their eyes.

"Why, now that you ask, I should tell you it's a breeding programme." Hojo informed, turning away from the silver head and approaching a strange vial he had on the tables close by, pressing a syringe into the cap of the bottle and turning it on it's side, filling the surgical instrument with the liquid, "I need more research specimens, my boy. You alone are not enough to quench my thirst for knowledge." once he had finished, he tapped the syringe, the liquid squiring out somewhat as the smile never left his lips. He adjusted his glasses, "think of what we could achieve? You and I, together, as father and son. You would be helping the human race, giving them a better, more prosperous future."

Sephiroth said nothing, his eyes locked onto the women as the needle pierced his back. His pupils sharpening, the liquid flowed into him as he lashed round, grabbing Hojo by the arm and staring at the half empty syringe, eyes blazing as he slammed him into the wall, surgical instruments spilling from the tables as Hojo's legs were dragged across them.

"What did you just inject me with?"

Hojo laughed lowly, ignoring the pain coursing through his arms as his son held him.

"A simple aphrodisiac, my boy…" his eyes glinting with delight, he continued, "to assist you in this experiment."

Sephiroth's eyes wavered. What? An arousal? He was to be forced to mate with those women? He dropped his father, backing away as he stared at his hands, already beginning to see double. Hojo said nothing, continuing to laugh as he backed away, turning and walking briskly out of the science department, the serum making it's way through him and towards his heart. The women shuddering and crying out when Hojo crouched down to view them from behind the plastic, he smiled to the terrified humans.

"My son will be with you shortly, my dears."


	35. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE**

Cloud Strife had awoken beside Angeal Hewley, his head resting on the mattress as they man smiled softly at him. He sat up, straightening his back and apologising, before Angeal simply chuckled, telling him it was of no issue to him if he decided to share the bed with him, as long as he kept his hands to himself. Cloud had flustered profusely. That kind of comment coming from the honourable commander felt strangely Genesis-like and caused him to make his excuses to run from the infirmary as quickly as possible without waking up the surrounding SOLDIERS, Angeal smiling to himself as he pulled out his cell phone and busied himself with his own private issues.

Making his way to the training rooms, Cloud had decided he would keep training and then crash every few days for a few hours, allowing his body to fall entirely asleep, all except for his breathing and the beating of his heart, so that all of his waking hours would be spent with a sword in hand, sweat on his brow and enemies in his sight. He was there for about twenty minutes hacking through machines when he noticed the door opening behind him, the lights switching green before he had finished, someone using a key card to enter. He wondered if Zack had chosen to find him after he left his mentor to his thoughts, turning with sword in hand, ready for another spar.

Instead, a strange looking Sephiroth entered the room, trickles of sweat running down his forehead before dropping to the ground beneath him as he moved towards him with his blade drawn, the scenario changing to that of the darkened slums of Midgar, sector seven. Cloud blinked, noticing the General was no longer as composed as he always was, his lips parted strangely as a ragged breath escaped him. What on Gaia was wrong with him?

"Sir…?" Cloud frowned when Sephiroth did not reply, simply glaring him down as though he were an insignificant worm. His eyes, so darkened, the slits narrowed into thin strips of pitch black, reminded him of how the General had looked during their last battle upon the remnants of the reactor just outside Edge, after the Jenova clone Kadaj had fused with the remaining biological Jenova cells and become the man he had loathed with every fibre of his body. He expected a black wing to erupt from within Sephiroth's back, sprouting out from his spine and darkening the artificial lights he stood under within the slum street.

Cloud found himself not backing away as Sephiroth approached him, his cold demeanour seeming to now be on fire, as though he had switched bodies with the crimson commander and was storming towards him, intent on running his blade through his chest for a third time. Cloud's sword ready for the fight, he blocked the first slash of Masamune, sparks flying from the weapons as he slid back slightly, the strength emanating from the General full and unreleased. Had Sephiroth finally decided to go all out on him? Cloud felt a small smile play at the corner of his lips, prepared for the challenge. However, when the sword went gliding past his head, cutting open a building and causing it to collapse between them when Cloud leapt back out of the way, he stared on at the General's deathly cold eyes, locked onto him as though he were possessed by some demon.

Cloud rushed into the buildings, running as he was hunted down like prey from above, Sephiroth gliding across the rooftops with such speed that he appeared to be flying at points. The blonde skidded to a halt when he came hurtling down towards him, the blade slashing down and tearing through the ground, the tip nearly catching his chest as he threw himself back to dodge. Was this man trying to kill him? He twisted and sent out a large spear of ice towards the General, which he simply avoided, lightning erupting from his sword as he sent a strike of electricity rippling towards him. Cloud slashed downwards, the lightning colliding with the buildings behind him and causing more constructions to fall apart. He ignored the burns on his hands which had been caused from the radiating electricity hitting his steel weapon, rushing forward and colliding his sword with Sephiroth's katana. The General continued to stare at him with unreal eyes, the pupils sharpened into the tiniest fractions that it appeared that he had none. Both gold and silver hair rippling in the wind caused by the power coming from the two SOLDIERS, Sephiroth eventually broke the lock, using his full strength to send Cloud flying backward. Cloud twisted and stabbed his sword into a building, standing upon the flat edge of the blade, hand held on the pommel as he turned to face the General. However, Sephiroth had disappeared from sight, the flickering lights coming from the alleyways beneath him causing the blonde to have flashbacks of their fight in Edge. When he heard the sword singing as it whizzed through the air towards him, he leapt, rolling out of the way as Sephiroth rushed past him, Masamune cutting through where he had stood and into the building. Cloud yanked his sword out of the building and found himself falling towards the ground. Twisting so the sword was to his side, when he was six foot from hitting the cement street and dashing his brains out everywhere, he slashed the sword, causing the force to dramatically decrease as he landed on his feet, turning to face the General.

That was when the blade went piercing through him. Cloud was pinned to the wall, Masamune buried within the collar of his uniform, buried about three feet into the concrete building while Sephiroth stood around four foot from him, smirking widely. Cloud's eyes widened as the General pounced.

His lips crashed into his, biting down on his lower lip to demand entrance. Cloud's head was spinning as Sephiroth released the hold on his blade, grabbing Cloud's hair with one hand and forcing him to face him as he conquered his lips, tongue and teeth trying to break through him, while his other fingers suddenly dug sharply into Cloud's waist. He parted his lips to gasp for air and to cry out in pain but was silenced by the overpowering kiss, feeling the fingers around the hold of his buster sword slipping until the weapon dropped to his feet. Cloud's entire body was shaking in terror as the tongue explored him, running over the roof of his mouth and sides, refusing to leave now that it had entered his opening. A hand still gripping his hair, holding his locks with bone crushing strength to keep his head in position, he felt Sephiroth's free hand trailing down to his trousers and begin to yank them open. Cloud's eyes widened as he stared at the General, who's eyes were phased over with an uncontrollable lust, still appearing possessed. Cloud closed his eyelids tightly and let the General kiss him, responding slightly when he finally ripped open the buttons to his groin, his unwilling erection springing out from his pants. Pulling his trousers down past his hips, Cloud felt his hardened manhood being touched, gently at first, as though the man did not know what to do, then beginning to stroke at a rapid pace. Cloud's lips moving as his face contorted with fear and pleasure, an unique, undeniable heat began to build in his lowers. Cloud pulled away as soon as Sephiroth's eyes shifted from him towards his neck, panting for air as he let out a stifled cry.

"N-no…!" he struggled in the General's grip, feeling the sharp teeth against his neck, legs trying to kick out from where he was pinned. Sephiroth dug the hand he had used to hold Cloud's head down on his thigh to pull his leg to the side, holding him steady as he continued to stroke his manhood. Cloud felt the teeth suddenly pierce his skin, letting out a cry of agony as he arched his back, desperately trying to break free, Sephiroth's lips nibbling, biting, sucking and kissing his neck, as though he were obsessed with the jugular veins just below skin level. Sephiroth's nose ran across the line of his jaw as he continued to work on the boy, Cloud's eyes tightening as he refused to watch. His hands had reached out to the sword above him, holding him against the wall of the training room as the scene flickered from sector seven to the blank walls of the ShinRa facility. Clenching his fingers down on the blade, Cloud could not feel the pain as he yanked, trying to withdraw Masamune from the concrete so he had some chance at escaping. He could feel that sensation inside building, so close within him, his breathing ragged and near non existent, he threw his head back unwillingly as the orgasm washed through him, releasing his seed hard for the very first time in either of his two lives.

Sephiroth stopped abruptly, looking down at his black gloved hand as though disgusted by the white liquid which had escape from the boy. The warm liquid pooled within the palm of his hand, a drop of scarlet falling into the mix. The General turned his feline optics to Cloud's hands, which were near embedded within the blade, blood running down his arms as though he had given up. He removed the stained gloves, placing them into his trouser pockets to dispose of later, before slowly withdrawing his blade from the wall, releasing the teenager. Cloud's arms fell onto Sephiroth's shoulders before he collapsed to the ground, lying on his side as his eyes fluttered open and shut, his entire small frame shuddering upon the floor before him, pants escaping his beaten lungs. Sephiroth said nothing, simply placing his sword back into it's sheath before kneeling, sliding his arms under the blonde without protest and pulling him into his arms, turning and carrying him out of the training room as the lights flickered on and off from the devastation they had caused.

* * *

Sapphire eyes glazed over with restlessness, Cloud snuggled tighter into the covers as he was placed upon the bed. He drifted in and out of consciousness as he felt his hands being cleansed with water before tight white bandages were wrapped around the palms, his clothes being removed by who he most likely assumed was Zack. When he finally found the strength to sit up slightly, he found he was lying within a room he had never been in, the bed around eight foot wide horizontally and vertically, with a gathering of six pillows before him. His optics still becoming used to the dim lights of the room, Cloud attempted to sit up but found a hand made it's way across his head, holding him in place. He wondered when Zack had gotten such a large, plain white room and smiled slightly, leaning into the caress of the long, cold fingers.

"Cloud…"

Cloud stopped, his smile slowly fading into a tight line. He felt the General run his fingers down his head and towards his neck, holding onto him as Cloud thought about getting up and dashing out of the apartment. Sephiroth, stripped of all his battle armour, moved onto the bed in front of him, moving his hand back to Cloud's hair before lifting his face.

Cloud stared into those lust filled irises of the General and felt shivers running through him, a strange, almost sickly feeling in his stomach. He was absolutely terrified. Sephiroth's fingers ensnaring his blonde locks, his face was forced down towards the pale, weeping erection before him. Cloud's eyes widened as he tried to back away, but was pulled back by the General's inhuman strength, holding him in place. The blonde's fingers dug into the bed sheets, hands clenching on the covers, trapped before the General in such a humiliating manner. The head of Sephiroth's erection ran over his lips, the General releasing a sharp, near silent exhale as his name escaped from parted lips.

"Cloud…"

Cloud's eyes could not look anywhere but at the manhood before him, standing erect, twitching as he let out a sudden breath, still gasping for air as he struggled to fill his lungs with oxygen. Why was Sephiroth doing this to him? Was this another sick game, or another convoluted dream his disgusting mind had conjured? When Sephiroth dug his fingers tighter into Cloud's hair, he parted his lips to cry out in pain, finding his mouth filled in one quick thrust. Cloud struggled as the erection stayed within his wet embrace, the salted taste of sex dribbling down onto his taste buds. His tongue tried to push it out of his mouth but that simply made the General let out a groan, pushing deeper into him. Cloud's lungs tightened, his waist pulled in with terror, he could not help but feel ashamed at the fact his own penis had began to harden down by his waist, rubbing against the bed sheets as he fought to escape, beginning to splutter. Sephiroth withdrew himself, Cloud near collapsing as he coughed loudly, his eyes watering over as Sephiroth turned his head to face him again.

"Stop resisting, Cloud…"

His sapphire eyes softening when the General lowered his lips back down towards his erection again, Cloud's tongue slowly making it's way out of his mouth and towards the cock against his face. A tiny, tentative lick was all he could handle, before he tried to turn his head away but was held in place. Sephiroth was not going to let him go until he did this. And that just made Cloud even more turned on. He ran his tongue from the base to the tip, not quite sure what he should do, trying to remember any slanderous insults or conversations he overheard during his childhood and in the cadet barracks. His head was moved forward slightly, the General requesting entrance. Cloud parted his lips and allowed the erection to slide slowly into him, then out again, and repeating this succession. Saliva running down his lower lip and chin, Cloud closed his eyes and began to lick and suck, at first desperate to get it over with, but then finding the strange taste soon dissipated after a little while of practice. He tried to imagine it was some kind of candy, but simply could not, knowing exactly who the erection was attached to. Saliva thoroughly coating Sephiroth's manhood, Cloud felt a hand running down his back, stopping at his side.

He was pulled up onto Sephiroth's lap, their erections rubbing together as they two males' bodies came into contact, Cloud's hair being released as the fingers made their way to a much, much different location. Cloud's arms pressed into Sephiroth's toned, pale chest, his eyes widened when he felt his lower opening being ran across by a single fingertip. He shifted to move away, flinching at the touch but was held down by the General, who appeared lost in the act, not caring whether Cloud willingly participated or not. A finger disappearing into his portal, Cloud let out a whine, clenching his teeth and finding his arms moving to Sephiroth's shoulders, wrapping around him and clinging to him for dear life as the pain washed through him. He tried to ignore the finger sliding inside him, moving around before pulling out and pushing back in again in a thrusting motion. Cloud's mako infused eyes radiating, glossed over with lust, his nails dug into the General's back as a second finger made its way into his body, stretching him in a scissoring motion. He was being penetrated, again and again, by his arch nemesis, the man who had been the cause of Zack and his containment for four years under a maddened scientist, killed Aeris, destroyed his life, tried to take everything from him…and he was loving every second of it.

Hips rolling back into the fingers, a third finger pushed into him, the General allowing tiny pants to escape as Cloud allowed him to prepare him, no longer fighting the pleasure. Suddenly, the blonde's body shuddered violently. Leaning into Sephiroth as his prostate was caressed, Cloud let out a loud cry, clinging onto the General tighter, his entire body shaking with desire. Stroking that spot of absolute euphoria, Cloud was left in a moaning mess, crying out uncontrollably, his noises filling the room as the General's eyes widened slightly, listening to the sounds he was causing the boy to create.

Cloud was pulled onto his back, the General flipping him over, cat slit eyes watching him intently. Cloud's eyes turned to face Sephiroth's stare, cheeks filled with crimson and burning as the shame washed over him, the General's delighted smirk upon his lips nearly jolting him back to reality. Near lying on top of him, his legs by Cloud's and his arms holding him a foot above him, the General leaned his nose into the blonde's neck and began to kiss and suck at the marks he had left, Cloud groaning quietly. Then he felt the much, much larger organ pressing against his ass. The tip of the General's erection against his opening, Cloud tried to push him off, trying to protect his virginity from the predator above him, but Sephiroth simply ignored him, continuing to bite down onto Cloud's neck before pushing in slowly. Cloud's legs kicked out, the teenager trying to buck his away out. Sephiroth moved a hand down and grabbed one leg, holding it out of the way as his erection made it an inch deeper into the squirming blonde. Cloud was now defenceless, immobile, paralysed other than from thrashing his head to the side when Sephiroth tried to kiss him. Grabbing his hair again, Sephiroth held him in place and pressed his lips against the sixteen year old's, tongue soon breaking his resolve as he buried his manhood completely within the tight, sweet embrace of Cloud's rectum.

As soon as the fingers loosened on his gold locks, Cloud twisted his head away from the General's lips, facing away as the tears of agony broke through his eyes. Sephiroth leaned into his ear, running tongue over the lobe before nibbling softly.

"It will feel better soon, Cloud…"

Feel better? How could this possibly feel good? It felt as though he had been stabbed in the ass with a sword and was being held in place to bleed out, the only lubrication being that of his own saliva around the General's cock. When he felt the erection being pulled out of him, he let out a sigh, eyes opening slightly, grateful that Sephiroth was allowing him to escape. However, it soon pushed back into him, then out, then in, and out repeatedly, slowly as though to torment him. Cloud's face contorting in a mixture of pain and pleasure, the General stared at him, placing his hands on the blonde's thighs and yanking him closer, burying himself even deeper in Cloud at this new angle. Cloud let out a shaking cry, Sephiroth saying nothing as he absorbed every fraction of detail, carving the image of Cloud's face as he stole his virginity into his mind, the moment forever his. When Genesis had explained the act of sex to him, he had never thought he would find someone he would willingly consent to doing such actions with. Genesis would often offer himself, usually jesting despite his flirtatious nature, and the General would refuse repeatedly, disinterested. That was, until, Genesis had sent him the picture of Cloud Strife. Instantly captivated, he knew the boy would be his eventually, but he did not realise how much he would enjoy taking his desires a step further, to the crimson commander's level. His love, as cold, wild and strong as the arctic north, now held a new meaning to it. Thrusting until he hit that one spot deep in Cloud's body, Sephiroth's smirk grew when the boy let out a moan. He continued to angle his thrusts into the teenager's prostate, driving Cloud to the point of no return as he cried out openly, his arms wrapped around Sephiroth's shoulders as though he were begging him to release him. The General leaned closer and kissed him, Cloud responding, conquered, his. Suddenly the feel of warm liquid spraying across his abdomen made Sephiroth part his lips, Cloud's orgasm washing over him, body arching as a loud cry broke through him. Sephiroth groaned near silently, eyes softening as he watched the blonde collapse in a heap before him, his seed splattered over his waist and filling his naval.

Now, it was his turn. He withdrew himself from the boy, turning Cloud to his front so his ass was up in the air. Running his tongue over Cloud's spine, he slid his erection back into the teenager, Cloud grabbing down on the bed sheets without struggling, as though he was ready, permitting him to mount him. Sephiroth smirked. He began to thrust into him, Cloud burying his face into the pillow at first, Sephiroth wondered if turning off the lights would help with the blonde's sudden inhibition but refused to part himself from his prize, instead running a hand over Cloud's side toward his still hard manhood. Cloud jolted back into him when he felt himself being stroked with precise movements, the General having remembered exactly what movements drove the boy wild with need. Biting his teeth down onto Cloud's shoulder, he ignored the blonde for temporarily, concentrating on his own desire as he felt the aphrodisiac still coursing through his veins, causing his groin to ache with the need to release his seed. He closed his eyes as some of Cloud's golden hair managed to make it's way under his nose, simply allowing him to inhale the sweet scent over and over again as he ignored Cloud's third orgasm, a hitching breath escaping him as he held back his moment of euphoria long enough till Cloud had finished entirely, the muscles inside him tightening as he came, before slamming to a halt, semen shooting into the depths of his lover's constricted embrace.

Cloud was shaking, feeling the warm liquid invading him as the General's grip around his waist loosened, allowing him to slink downward onto the sheets and lay quietly regaining his breath. He had allowed the General to conquer him, take his everything, take the one thing he still held as his own; his innocence. What would Zack think of him, knowing he had given himself to the man who had destroyed his last world, who had tried to kill him time and time again, how he had moulded like clay within the palm of Sephiroth's hands and cried out from the irrevocable pleasure? Eyes held open in radiating blue slits, Cloud said nothing as the General ran a hand through his silver locks, trying to regain his composure. His sight began to blur as darkness began to overtake him, exhaustion winning the battle as Cloud Strife tried to turn to the General, beg him to hold him, make the strange feeling inside him go away, his heart feeling as though it was being twisted inside him, not wanting to be alone in the darkness.

Sephiroth looked down at the blonde, saying nothing, his lips in a firm, sincere line, the ice make it's way back over his features as he turned, leaving the third class to lie defeated on the bed, his semen running out down his thighs.

_AN ;; Yes, I grinned like an idiot whilst writing this chapter. I bet you all did too. No, Cloud didn't get 'fucked then dumped'. Sephiroth pretty much just forced himself on a sixteen year old SOLDIER of lower ranking than him. That's kind of a dilemma. Meanwhile Cloud is incredibly confused with his feelings. On one hand he adores Zack, and knows if his friend ever discovered he had just had sex with Sephiroth, it would break him. However, he was so consumed with the pleasure given to him from Sephiroth, that now he doesn't know what to think or do. Poor Cloudy. Reviews are loved and appreciated!_


	36. Chapter 36

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX**

_"Tifa, stay back!"_

_"No, i'm not leaving you!"_

_Cloud's First Tsurugi hacked through flesh as the first infected lunged onto the pair, blackened blood spraying out into the air as metal tore through the skin and bone of the Midgar civilian, now a monstrous puppet of Jenova. Sending strikes of blue power through the air, Cloud parted the seas of enemies, holding his ground so close to the sudden drop into the lifestream below. Tifa dashed past him and collided her fist with an infected, breaking it's jaw before she twisted and kicked the side of her foot into it's neck to throw it back. The blonde swung down as another infected lunged onto him, stabbing his sword upward directly into it's lower jaw and through it's skull. Tifa had equipped a lightning materia and was electrifying enemies with each punch of her red coated fists, yelling when she fought each infected who tried to run it's claws through her body. The waves of infected were not dissipating, the corrupt civilians of Midgar pouring towards them, the lifestream wailing from behind the two champions of Gaia._

_With distorted eyes just like those of Cloud's arch nemesis, the infected began to push them back, closer towards the opening within the planet, a stunning emerald ocean escaping into the skies behind them as the lifestream struggled in it's own battle against Jenova, the ancient alien trying to infect the very network of life itself. Cloud skidded to the side as he held his ground, claws raking across his arm where the geostigma virus had taken hold and tearing the black fabric from him, blood spraying out and hitting the lifestream. Green suddenly washed into crimson red as the mako infused blonde killed his attacker then continued, trying to block out the sounds of screaming echoing from the planet. Tifa slammed her fists down onto an infected's head before rolling out of the way of more, avoiding having her feet being grabbed by the monsters. She twisted round and punched into another enemy, fists beginning to buckle under the solid steel of the infecteds' bones. But still she did not give in, glancing back at the blonde as he fought by her side, the last of their party. Cait Sith, Vincent, Yuffie, Barret, Cid, Nanaki….they had fallen before this final battle, torn apart by the infected clones of Jenova while Cloud held onto Tifa's arm as she hung from above the lifestream. Pulling her up to her feet, they ran forward, Tifa rushing past enemies while Cloud slowed to destroy them, to keep her safe. Humanity had lost, had failed; they were the last of their kind, and the planet despite it's current battle with Jenova, revelled in this. Mankind had given the planet nothing but suffering in payment for being permitted to live upon Gaia's skin, stealing her oxygen and draining the lifestream, her blood. Now, they had been defeated, with the final two members of a species fighting for their lives against impossible odds._

_Cloud fell first. His feet falling through the sudden drop behind him, the blonde was pulled down by gravity. Slamming his hand down onto the edge, he hung on by one limb, glaring up at the infected leering over him, saliva trailing from crooked jaws. Tifa's foot collided with the monster's head and sent it screeching back, the woman falling to her knees and grabbing onto Cloud's arm._

_"Cloud, no!"_

_His arms hanging onto hers, his fingers slipped beneath the ribbon around her arm as he felt himself slipping, the lifestream pulling him in. Infected began to surround Tifa, leering at her predicament. Clinging to the man she loved, she shook her head, glancing back at the enemies when Cloud shouted to her._

_"Let me go!"_

_"No, I wont lose you!"_

_"Tifa, they will kill you!"_

_"I don't care! I can't live without you!"_

_Cloud began to relax his grip around Tifa's arms. She stared at him, simply clinging to him tighter, shaking her head when tears began to break her resolve, spilling down her cheeks. Her ribbon loosening around her arm, when Cloud allowed the lifestream to pull him in, the fabric was ensnared over his fingers, the infected lunging onto Tifa as she reached out to him, crying out as he disappeared into the spiritual ocean._

* * *

Third class Cloud Strife's eyes shot open.

Panting from the nightmare, he shifted slightly on the bed, feeling a strange aching in his lower back. Shutting his eyes, he held a hand to his face, fingers running into the edges of blonde locks.

"Tifa…"

Turning onto his side, he ignored the wetness around his legs, assuming it was dampness from sweating profusely during the nightmare. Sapphire eyes peering through the darkness around him, Cloud wondered where he was. The bed was very large, and somehow he had shuffled under the sheets during the night, his head leaning back against a pillow. Eyes closing again, his shoulders slouched back into the comfort of the furniture, which felt as though he was lying on a cloud it was so incredibly soft. His lips in a thin, parted line, a soft sigh escaped him. He would never be free of these nightmares, of his memories. They would forever continue to haunt his waking world, then tear him apart in the realm of dreams, battering his spirit until he just gave up. Sliding a hand under the sheets, Cloud tried to recollect what had happened last night. He remembered training in room forty nine below the ShinRa complex, then fighting against the General, his eyes phased over with some sort of strange serum which left him appearing near possessed. After they had battled, he had been pinned to the wall, and…

Cloud swallowed.

…Had…had _that_… really happened?

Feeling the wetness on his lowers, all colour drained from his face. Gaia, that had actually happened. Having first resisted the General's desires, desire conquered his senses, his mind screaming at him to fight and to flee but his heart begging him to stay and allow his body to be taken with the waves of pleasure. Which he had, much to the blonde's immediate disgust. That man's fingers…trailing over his skin…their bodies intertwined as absolute euphoria washed over them… Cloud groaned and slammed his head back into the pillow, nearly hitting the wood frame behind him. How had he allowed such things to happen, for it to continue? When he could clearly see Sephiroth had been injected with something, feline slits narrowed into the sharpest of black lines, near hidden within realms of lime green, he had simply continued to battle, believing he could take the General on no matter if he used his full powers on him. Which he had, now leaving Cloud in the sticky situation he was in. Running a hand over his neck, Cloud hissed in pain, fingers stopping when they came to the deep, dark marks on his throat from Sephiroth's mouth. His mouth…good Gaia, everything that had happened to his body gave Cloud the shudders.

He sat up, clambering out of the bed before putting a foot down on the ground and making his way forward, only to find his face embedded in the floor beneath him. The radiating numbness in his lower back and hips was no longer painful, but it left Cloud with a predicament. He was going to have to move slowly if he wanted to escape this apartment before Sephiroth realised he was awake.

Cloud staggered toward the door, noticing his clothes were nowhere to be found in the room. Placing his hand on the doorway, it slid open, revealing the huge living area just beyond the short hallway. Sighing, the blonde made his way toward the sofas, looking for something to wear, when he noticed the paper neatly folded on the kitchen worktop. Frowning, he had realised he was alone when his mako enhanced senses deduced that the General was not present on the floor, and so felt slightly more secure despite his current predicament. Lifting up the paper, he found it was a note addressed to him in one of the most beautiful handwritings he had ever seen, even prettier than Yuffie's after years of being taught how to be ladylike - only for her to throw it all back in the Wutaian servants faces when she started dressing like a boy and running around as a ninja. Ignoring his thoughts, Cloud plucked open the paper to read what it said.

He felt the colour draining from his cheeks.

Sephiroth had either hit his head hard during their battle, or was already insane. The note told him he could use the shower unit and take anything he wished from the refrigerators, as long as he did not use the cooker, and to wait for him to return. Cloud scoffed. If the General seriously thought he was going to hang around in his apartment for Gaia knows how long until he returned, most likely desiring to repeat their…spar…that had taken place last night, then he was sorely mistaken.

Though, he supposed nothing was wrong with washing his body after the vile liquids from last night had left him quite…sticky. He made his way through the hall again, turning to the left to stare into the rooms, searching for any cameras. The showering room was as large as the cadets' showers themselves, with numerous showerheads all pointing towards the middle of the tiled room, a single temperature control present on the furthest away wall. Cloud sighed. Why was everything in this apartment so godly huge? Walking over the gentle warming tiles when he switched on the water, Cloud soon found he was surrounded by the liquid, steam escaping from around him when he stood rather awkwardly in the shower. When he felt the thick, oozing liquid running out of his opening, he audibly groaned. He had never liked men before, but then again, he hadn't exactly done anything with the female counterpart of mankind either. What he most definitely had not expected when he was reborn, however, was to get his ass pounded by his old nemesis. Running his hands through his hair, a bottle on the floor drew Cloud's attention away from his body. Blinking, he examined the shampoo. That was Sephiroth's, wasn't it? His fan club was obsessed with what he smelled like, with ShinRa's shampoo being 'scented with thirteen different aromas'. He scoffed. This he had to find out himself. Grabbing the bottle, he squirted some of the pale green liquid out onto his hand and sniffed. Ok, so it smelled alright…actually pretty nice, but were there hell thirteen different scents in it. Two at the most…maybe three. He washed his hair, wondering if it made him weird for using another man's shampoo. But hey, he had told him specifically he could use the shower. He didn't say what he couldn't use - except for the oven, though why Sephiroth thought he would start cooking up a meal in the middle of his apartment Cloud could not guess. He mused that the General must do this often if he had set rules. He wished he hadn't.

A strange feeling washed over him when he thought about the General with another man. What? What was this? Why did he feel so suddenly…hurt? Cloud shook his head. He was diverting from his current task. He had to stop doing that.

Turning off the water, Cloud made his way out toward the living area and found a towel and some clean clothes. His third class uniform. When did Sephiroth have the time to wash that? When Cloud lifted up the pants, he found the seems were not falling apart around the pocket like on his pair. So these were new? Maybe the General was trying to bribe his silence about the event which had taken place in his living quarters last night. Cloud dried and then dressed, not caring where he left the towel, but then deciding to fold it up and leave it on the sofa arm, knowing his mother would be scolding him if she could see him right now. Sighing, he approached the door. When he noticed that a key card was required to get out, he rolled his eyes.

"To hell with that…" he muttered, reaching to pull out his key card Reno had given him. Then he realised he was not wearing his own uniform. The colour drained from his face. He was NOT going to stick around here waiting for the General to return from his work. But then, he couldn't exactly call anyone to get him out. One, his phone was nowhere on him, and secondly, how the hell would he explained to Reno or Zack how he was in Sephiroth of all peoples' apartments?

A single materia orb sat upon the desk just a few yards from him. Had Sephiroth put that there just to taunt him? The blonde approached it, finding the green orb to be a mastered time materia. Wasn't this the same one the General had used to practically molest him during the fight between the two and Zack? Could shook his head, taking a page from Yuffie's books and swiping it from himself. If the silver was going to lock him up in here, he would be damned not to take what he wanted. Call it payment for the troubles he was giving him.

Reeve and Nanaki had used a cooling vent to get into here when they were escaping. That had to mean the opening was somewhere. However when he found said vent, it had been sealed shut, probably so that an escape like that could not be pulled again. Damnit. He was trapped. What the hell was he meant to do?

Wait, why hadn't he thought of it? His body had been reborn as a cetra, meaning his connection with the planet and with the lifestream was far beyond the rate of a normal human's. He closed his eyes, willing the powers within him to work. His fingers began to warm, Cloud's sapphire gaze opening to examine the light green power radiating in his hand. This could work. Pressing the destruct magic against the vent opening, the metal pulled away to allow him a small escape route. Which was perfect, seeing as he was still in his tiny body, despite having doubled in muscle size since his spirit had been brought to the new world. Crawling forward, Cloud came to an eight foot drop and turned, landing quietly before continuing. He eventually came to the laboratories below, noticing the containment unit in the middle of the room. He could not see the madman Hojo anywhere, nor sense the presence of anyone except the four women trapped below. Cloud made his way down and landed in one of the science department offices, getting down to his knees and crouching, looking around for the exit. Great, he would need a key card for the elevator here too. But then, he could always knock out a scientist and take theirs.

Yeah, and have TURKS beat the shit out of you, Cloud thought bitterly. He made his way through the sixty eighth floor, avoiding the cameras by hiding in blind spots. He had been in here numerous times before, his must recent occasion being that of when Hojo was injecting more concentrated mako into him. He approached the doorway, passing by the women who stared at him in terror. What on Gaia was Hojo doing with human specimens? But he couldn't help them, not after his breakout of Nanaki recently. The TURKS were already interrogating anyone who had been near those floors, a few employees even disappearing when they refused to cooperate. Cloud still had a lot to do before he went AWOL from ShinRa. He blocked out the strange noises coming from them, then turned his sapphire gaze to the doors. Someone was coming up. He shot to the side, bringing out the time materia from his pocket. He still had his powers from his past life, so using level three magic was not difficult. A mastered one, however, he would have to be both lucky and skilled for this to work.

Hojo was humming to himself as he passed through the doorway, approaching the female specimens in the middle of the laboratory. He had sent the other scientists away for the evening, expecting to find his son lathered all over them within the containment unit; the aphrodisiac he had injected him with had deadly risks if the male did not excrete his seed within a certain time period, first leading to unconsciousness, then complete comatose. Which would have been a shame, considering how much he cherished Sephiroth's company. But again, he was replaceable. Just like all of the President's SOLDIER army. Hojo squatted by the plastic sides of the cage, the women staring at him in horror and clambering away from him.

"It seems my son shall not be joining us after all…" the professor murmured, wondering where he would find Sephiroth's body. Probably in his apartment, or collapsed in a training room, if he had thought that merely fighting would have burned out the chemicals. "I will dispose of you four shortly, but for now, I will keep you to enjoy your company for a short while longer…" he had only said this as the brunette captive reminded him somewhat of Lucrecia, with similar features and the same long, soft locks. He would maybe play with her a little later, but for now he would send some of Lazard's useless men to find the Jenova clone, wherever he may be. Pulling out his phone, he gave the command and waited.

Cloud was hiding in one of the cupboards. Listening to the madman, he wished he could help the women, but knew if he was caught he would most likely be executed by the TURKS for being a spy. He waited for around ten long, aching minutes, his legs cramping beneath him while the blonde ignored the numb feeling still in his hips and ass. This was not the time to complain about sex pains.

When the elevator opened again, Hojo facing away, Cloud was about to use the time materia to cease the world and rush forward, diving into the metal cage to escape. But when Sephiroth passed by where he was hiding, black jacket rippling in his wake, silver hair glistening as he moved forward, Cloud stayed perfectly still.

Hojo turned to his son, examining him. Sephiroth appeared perfectly unaffected, his lips in a stern, thin line. The SOLDIERS who had found him turned and made their way out of the science department, ignoring the naked women who were still piled upon each other, shaking with terror when eyes locked onto the General again. Hojo pressed a hand against his head, quite in disbelief.

"How are you possibly still alive?" he shook his head, Sephiroth's feline optics unmoving, not even to narrow his eyes at his father's shock.

"You informed me that was an aphrodisiac serum, not a poison." the General replied, emotionless.

Hojo raised his eyebrows, spluttering.

"It was both, you stupid boy!" he slammed his hand down on the table, surgical instruments falling to the ground as the women whimpered, Cloud listening with wide eyes, "if you did not mate, you would have gone into comatose! How are you still standing?!"

Sephiroth said nothing. Cloud half expected him to run Masamune through the scientist's bowels, but he did not move. No wonder Sephiroth was so deranged, with a father like Hojo. When the professor began to chuckle softly, the blonde knew that was never a good sign.

"You found release elsewhere…?" Hojo tilted his head, that maddened grin present upon thin, cracked lips, glasses glinting beneath the artificial lights of the facility, "I see…I will have the woman brought to the laboratory for examinations to begin."

Sephiroth simply continued to say nothing. He had already sensed Cloud watching, most likely with the time materia in hand. He was deliberately not trying to escape, watching, listening from his hideout like a little sparrow watching over a pair of lions feasting upon a rotting carcass. He felt the word making it's way past his lips, hoping to the gods that Cloud did not knock anything over or fall out of the cabinet.

"No."

"No…?" his father gripped his face in a weak clutch, eyes glinting with amusement, "my boy, you know I will find her, with or without you. She will be nothing more than a breeder for your children, nothing more." just like your mother, Hojo mused.

Sephiroth continued to say nothing when his father dismissed him, realising he was not going to tell him who 'she' was. Now was Cloud's time. When the doors opened for the elevator, Sephiroth felt the time materia being used, a blonde dashing past him and into the elevator behind him before he turned, the doors closing.

Cloud slid to the floor, hands in his hair. He had slowed time to escape, much preferring to be in a small metal box with Sephiroth than in a laboratory with his wicked father. So that was why the General had taken him? Not for any personal desire, but so he would not be killed? He was nothing more than a toy to be used when the silver hair required release? He turned his sapphire gaze up to the General, who was not facing him, staring at the door. Had he really meant nothing more to Sephiroth than a means of saving his life? Cloud turned away, bitterness flowing through him. So this is what Genesis had felt when Angeal had rejected him? No wonder had had lost his mind. It was by far, the worst pain Cloud had ever endured.


	37. Chapter 37

_AN ;; Let's face it. Hojo is a bit of a cunt. So is whoever put freaking 1 Direction in my play list when I left my laptop unattended at my friend's house. ¬_¬... Anyway, time for Angeal to redeem himself. WARNING for this chapter - character death. Song for this chapter - Evil Angel by Breaking Benjamin_

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN**

Deep into ShinRa's facility lay the infirmary department, which consisted of a mere single hallway with around sixteen beds, eight on each side. While four were still taken opposite the first class, their burns still healing from the crimson commander's unleashed fury on the forty ninth floor, the man was otherwise alone; his apprentice having left, hurt by his constant rejections, while he had listened quietly as his mother, the one woman he had ever trusted, told Zack of how she knew he would begin to degrade eventually, yet allowed him to be used as an experiment for his father, Hollander, anyway. The cell phone began to vibrate as Angeal Hewley's sapphire eyes cracked open, feeling the movement on the mattress beside him. He reached his hand over to the black phone, eyes widening and lips parting when he read the caller ID. Accepting the call, he pressed the phone against his ear, waiting.

"Genesis…" Angeal murmured when he finally heard a ragged breath coming from the other end.

"Infinite in mystery, is the gift of the Goddess…"

"Genesis…where are you?"

"We seek it thus...and take, to the sky..."

"Gen..."

He received no response. Angeal was hung up on. The commander pulled himself up, beginning to press keys on his phone, pulling up a tracker installed by the TURKS in all first class SOLDIER phones. He traced where the last call had been taken from, then stopped when the red dot on the miniature map signalled Genesis' presence.

Angeal pulled himself out of the bed, ignoring the agony shooting through him as he fastened his boots, grabbing the buster sword and pushing himself onward. He ignored the nurse as she protested, trying to get him to lay back down. Angeal stormed past her, out into the hallway, caring not that his bandages soon became soaked with his blood from the movement. He had nothing left to stay for, nothing he would willingly sacrifice the crimson commander for. His mother had committed suicide, overdosing on tablets given to her from Hojo to relieve her stress, her body being found in one of the corridors only a few hours later. Zack had tried to comfort him but his mentor simply continued to ignore him, wanting Zackary to despise him as much as humanly possible. He would not be able to leave if he thought the second class would still care for him after the cruelty he put him through in refusing to acknowledge his presence. At first it had been simply his response to Genesis turning on him, his mind near shutting down as the realisation that the auburn loathed him with every fibre of his being. Zack begged him to talk to him, to spill out his feelings and pour out his agony, but Angeal was not a weak man. He could go on until the end carrying his secrets with him to his grave. But without Genesis…he could not stay as a ShinRa dog any longer, obeying every given command for a company who sought for nothing more than to keep absolute control over the world. Wutai had stood up to them and they were nearly up in arms at war with them, had the General not been sent in to dispatch the armies before they had the time to build. But Angeal was not Sephiroth. He could not exist alone, content with his own thoughts. He needed, craved to be with the red head.

Genesis had his heart, his loyalty…and his honour.

Grey hair wafting in the ripples of wind that came from when the elevator doors opened to the President's office, Angeal made his way toward the balcony, buster sword drawn in his hand and ready. He could already see the crimson blur in the distance, his vision failing from the loss of so much blood, but he would not lay back and wait to die in the middle of the ShinRa facility like a criminal waiting for the chair. He would go down fighting, as his honour deemed him to, or within the arms of the man he loved.

Genesis held the dumb apple seed on the palm of his hand, listening to Angeal approach him but not moving from where he sat on the banister, his legs hanging over above the abyss below. Once Banora had been destroyed, the crimson commander had returned, the flames simply contorting to his beckoning as he searched for a fallen fruit which was not entirely blackened. He now held the last seed of the dumb apple species, the trees having been burnt to ash by ShinRa's missiles. His hair, now dark grey with thick white strands, flickered softly, the dark wing growing out from his back held steady, feathers caressing with air when he finally acknowledged his fellow commander's presence.

"Ripples form, on the water's surface…the wandering soul, knows no rest…" his gaze slowly shifting from the seed to his childhood friend, Genesis allowed a small smile to cross over his lips, "Angeal, we are dying…"

"I know…" the once raven head approached him at a slow pace, stopping once he was around six foot from the crimson commander, "Genesis, I…"

"You broke my heart," Genesis murmured, placing the seed back into his pocket before twisting round and landing his feet on the concrete flooring of the rooftop, wing glistening beneath the sunlight as he shifted it to the side, "but it matters not…as long as we are together…"

"Genesis…" Angeal watched as Genesis' eyes were softened, the fight leaving his near cadaver, "Genesis, you can't stay here…"

"I care not how I die anymore, Ang. As long as you are by my side, I will accept my fate willingly. I am nothing…but a monster…" a soft, defeated laugh escaped him, holding up his hands before his chest to examine his once black gloves, now tainted with grey ash.

"No, you're not a monster…" Angeal shook his head, watching as Genesis kept his eyes on his hands, he lowered his blade, putting it back into it's sheath, "you're…the man I…"

"Don't patronise me, Ang." the crimson commander drew out his weapon, holding it steady as he directed it towards his childhood friend, flames beginning to seep across the materia blade, "I will not be pitied by anyone, not even you." he grinned slightly when he noticed his handiwork on the commander's chest, the bandages thoroughly soaked through with scarlet, "looks like I added a new scar to your collection..." when he sneered, Angeal was furious.

"I…" Angeal clenched his teeth, slamming his eyelids shut and tightening them, "Genesis, you are the most insufferable man I have ever met!"

Genesis blinked when Angeal slammed his blade away with an arm, the crimson commander took weak to stop him, then grabbed Genesis by his shoulders, his fingers digging into the pads of his jacket.

"You always think the whole world is against you! Shut your mouth for one minute and just listen!" when Genesis gaze widened at this, Angeal continued, "all my childhood and since we were brought here, I have done nothing but support you in every way! You just throw it back in my face with your lecherous, immature, autocratic and demanding behaviour! You're like a spoilt child!" Genesis narrowed his eyes, not enjoying being insulted, even by Angeal, "but all this time…I…" he looked away, "I...you..." then snarled to himself, pulling the crimson commander into his arms and crashing his lips against his. Genesis instantly responded, their tongues battling for dominance as he yanked Angeal's hair, the man grunting when his friend tried to bite at his lip. Angeal pulled away first to gasp for air, Genesis a panting mess in his arms, wing surrounding them in a veil of black feathers. His eyes widened, phased over with confusion and joy, Angeal looked away from him, frowning. "Don't think this means I appreciate your attitude, quite frankly, it stinks."

"Ang...?" he shook his head, "I...don't understand..."

"I love you." Angeal replied, his voice steady and his mind finally clear.

Genesis purred into his ear, running his tongue over the lobe with delight. He finally heard the words he had been waiting for so many years to hear. Angeal's hand ran to Genesis' side before he pulled his head back, Genesis grimacing at being so roughly handled, glaring with narrowed optics.

"No marks." he warned, the crimson commander simply snickering quietly before Angeal allowed him to kiss and run his lips over his neck again. Angeal let out a low groan when he felt Genesis' hand running down his back and towards his ass, then pressing a finger against him. He laughed openly at this, "Genesis, I may be agreeing to this, but you will never get to do _that_."

Genesis scowled slightly and moved his hand away up the commander's back instead, figuring he would have to get Angeal drunk again before he pulled a stunt like that. They stood in their embrace, Genesis' wing constantly hanging over them, shielding them from the sunlight in the cool shade, warmed only by their soft breathing and the beating of their degrading hearts.

So when their mako enhanced senses picked up on the bullet gliding through the air towards them, Genesis shielded Angeal with his wing, metal piercing through feathers and releasing a spray of scarlet. Genesis let out a cry and slouched down, wing curling back in pain, Angeal drawing his sword and facing their attacker. Out of his back exploded a pair of differentiating sized ivory white wings, growing out until they were near the same size as the demon commander's by his side, feathers soaked with flesh and blood which began to drip down onto the ground below, melting away to ash instantly.

Tseng held his gun steady, watching the pair of SOLDIERS with narrowed eyes. They had traced Angeal's call instantly upon Genesis' arrival to the facility, then watched, observing under direct commands from the President, who wanted to see where Angeal's loyalties lay. When the two had began kissing like lovesick teenagers, the President, disgusted, gave the order to fire. Tseng waited until the lovers parted, giving them a moment to cherish each other, claiming he was getting a better angle for his weapon, then releasing a bullet towards Angeal's skull. The crimson commander shielded him with his mutated wing, glaring down at him with untamed hatred, fire blazing from his sword while he struggled with the pain. His arm was still bleeding from Tseng's original shot, unable to heal from the degrading process, which simply permitted the TURK leader with less of a challenge. He did not smile as he stood only metres from the pair, his men surrounding the area with guns readied and targets acquired, ready to take the commanders down where they stood.

"Tseng…" Angeal breathed, his buster sword near shaking in his arms when he saw Genesis' mouth was slowly filling with blood, the liquid running down his lower lip to his chin as he smirked.

"Fucking TURKS…" he pushed himself to his feet, using his wing as leverage upon the ground to do so before slumping against Angeal's side, struggling to stand from loss of blood. Angeal supported him but did not turn his eyes away from Tseng, knowing full well that the gun was aimed at his head.

"Commander Angeal Hewley," Tseng began, the TURKS behind him, including Reno, motionless as he spoke, "by fraternizing with an enemy of ShinRa, you are now classed as dangerous towards the company, and the people of Midgar. My orders are to execute your immediate extermination, whether you comply…" he glanced at the snarling Genesis, "or not…"

The honourable commander did not reply when Genesis' fires began to dissipate, having burned the last of his energy. Genesis lowered his head, panting for air, his entire frame shaking as he struggled to stand. Angeal sheathed his weapon, Genesis glancing at him with disbelief evident in his stare. Angeal only nodded, smiling slightly, he leaned into his childhood friend's ear and murmured.

"Legend shall speak, of sacrifice at world's end…"

"The wind sails over the water's surface," Genesis replied, quoting his beloved poem, "quietly, but surely…"

"Then let us become the wind, and sail…"

Genesis' eyes widened, understanding. His love, as hot and pure as the flames he controlled, became a weapon Angeal now had to control, a phoenix in gold cast chains. He smirked suddenly, pushing his wing into the air, shadowed feathers falling from the limb as the TURK leader took a step back, scowling as the crimson commander found the strength to carry on. Angeal stood ready, watching as the fires began to build around Genesis' sword, the man's eyes filled with a relentless blaze which was so typical of Genesis Rhapsodos. His lips contorted into a wild, feral sneer, Genesis suddenly set fire to the President's office, the flames appearing from below the TURKS and sending them yelling backward, leaving Tseng alone. Genesis leapt forward, rushing towards him and slashing his sword down. Tseng parried the blow, holding his gun up, the barrel blocking the commander's materia blade. Genesis simply continued to smirk, quoting Loveless in his madness.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises…" he pushed further down into the TURK leader's weapon, sparks flying from his blade as Tseng's hand began to turn scarlet with the burning heat, "nothing…shall forestall my return…" when Tseng fell back at the sudden explosion caused by the gunpowder in his bullets connecting with Genesis' flames, the commander let draw a loud laugh, eyes widened fully, "to become the dew that quenches the land, to spare the sands, the seas, the skies…" he held his blade steady before him, wing spreading out fully and casting a twisted shadow down on Tseng as he lay on his back before him, unarmed and at the mercy of the fires of Genesis Rhapsodos, "I offer thee, this silent sacrifice!"

Blood sprayed out across the concrete as Genesis' blade slashed down.

Zackary Fair watched the scene from within the President's office, being held back by Cissnei who begged him not to get any closer. But as soon as Zack watched Genesis hack down Tseng like the ShinRa dog he was, tearing him open in one swift cut, Angeal doing nothing to stop him as he stood by the banister, awaiting his fellow commander, Zack pushed her out of the way and ran past the flames, leaping out of the doorway and skidding to a halt, shouting.

"Genesis, Angeal!"

Angeal turned his head away from him, while Genesis lifted his own, sapphire irises filled with bloody intent as he crouched over the fallen TURK leader. His teeth bared, he grinned at the second class, who held a buster sword in his hands, weapon ready to defend ShinRa. Genesis stepped over the corpse, approaching the pup, his flames contorting in a red sea to allow him to pass.

"Genesis, leave him."

Zack turned to Angeal, who still faced the skies rather than his apprentice. The crimson commander stopped in his tracks, the edge of his sword close to the tip of Zack's own weapon. He took a step back, wing pulling back from where it had began to coil forward, casting darkness over the second class, obeying Angeal's command. Zack's eyes were wide with confusion as the red head turned fully, prowling back to his fellow degrading commander and waiting by his side, still grinning.

"Angeal…" Zack felt tears break through his eyes, "why are you doing this!? He tried to kill Gillian! Nearly killed you!"

Genesis scowled, irritated by the pup's whining. The fires still burning around his blade as he sheathed it, leaping up onto the banister and balancing on his feet. Angeal did not respond to his apprentice, no longer caring for ShinRa, nor those who stood by their side, removing the bloodied bandages from around his chest and allowing them to be pulled into the flames Genesis had created with his wrath.

"Goodbye, Zack."

"No, Angeal! take me with you! don't leave me!"

Angeal ignored his apprentice's protests, kicking into the banister with one foot and jolting forward, disappearing below before gliding up, flying into the grey skies, blackened by the fires Genesis had created. Zack ran towards them, skidding to a halt by the barrier and watching as his mentor disappeared. Tears flowing openly from his eyes, Genesis mused.

"My friend, the fates are cruel…" Zack swallowed back bile, turning his fury towards the crimson commander, "there are no dreams, no honour remains…the arrow has left, the bow…of the Goddess…"

"Shut up!" his sword was turned to Genesis, who simply continued to ignore him, "what are you doing?! draw your sword! fight me, damn you! Fight me!"

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance…" he stared at the dumb apple seed in his hand, a soft smile present upon his lips, "hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey…" he suddenly stood, "in my own salvation, and your…eternal…slumber…" falling forward, wing tucked in as he plummeted towards the ground before spreading his feathers and gliding into the sky, leaving Zack to stand staring into the skies where the two commanders had vanished into.

_AN ;; I'm cruel to Zack, I know. I don't hate him / dislike him / whatnot, I just think he should stay with ShinRa by Cloud for now while Angeal and Genesis both go AWOL. Sorry about the shortness of this chapter, and about Tseng, he will be replaced as TURK leader by Veld in the following chapters._


	38. Chapter 38

_AN ;; Guys, I'm not dead LOL. I was out all day with mates yesterday, so when I got back I wasn't in the mood for writing a new chapter, while I've been at work today for hours so I'm pretty exhausted but shall write up a chapter for y'all anyway. I'm also working my own book series so this is just a bit of fun in my spare time. If you're really worried about my health you can send me a message on here. Otherwise, don't stress if I don't post things for a few hours/days xD_

_Anyway, here's a new chapter, containing all our heroes - Cloud, Sephy and Zack. Angeal and Genesis have gone AWOL, leaving ShinRa in a bit of a chaotic mess._

**CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT**

Cloud shifted his eyes away from the General as they lowered towards the ground floor in the small elevator, his heart thudding in rapid bursts against his ribs. Sephiroth paid no heed to his dilemma, seeming to not even register his existence. Peering up at him every few minutes as the green flashes signalled their passing each floor, when the elevator screeched to a halt on the twenty third floor, Sephiroth stood perfectly motionless, leaving Cloud's body numb other than the fires exploding within him. Alarms began to sound, the elevator lights turning dark red, they could hear the SOLDIERS rushing around just below them on the twenty second floor, waiting for the elevator but finding it had been halted due to the facility going into shut down.

"Genesis…" Sephiroth murmured, a hand lowering towards the pommel of his blade. Intent on using Masamune to cut his way through the thick metal, Cloud let out a sharp exhale.

"Why did you lock me in your apartment?" this man was so socially retarded, it was almost painful to be in the same confines as him. It was like talking to a man who had never been around human beings before in his entire life. Which the General had been, somewhat; Professor Hojo had no humanity left in him.

"I left specific instructions. However, I had already assumed you would leave. Though how you managed to without any means of opening the door has piqued my interests." the General remarked, his emotions contained as though he were talking with a mere cadet whom he had no relation to. A boy he had not just robbed of his virginity the night before.

"Where did you put my key card?" he questioned. It was his only means of getting around the floors other than with his registered third class card, which signalled and tracked his presence around the facility each time he used it. The TURK key card Reno had given him was untraceable, so Cloud had began to rely on it rather than the other one, leaving the plastic rectangle in his apartment. Now that the General had taken it, along with his clothes (and dignity) the blonde would be unable to move around the building. He needed it back, but getting in a fight with the General in such a small vicinity during an attack was not the greatest of ideas. Still, before the General swooped off to hunt the crimson commander down, Cloud wanted his key card back.

"A TURK registered key card? Cloud, I am your superior officer. To allow you to have such an item would be unprofessional." the silver haired replied.

Cloud snapped, leaping to his feet.

"With all respect given, sir. Go fuck yourself."

Sephiroth smirked.

Cloud was slammed against the steel wall of the elevator, his lips torn open and kissed violently, Sephiroth's hands all over him, holding the teenager's arms above his head in a deadly grip while he began to rip away at Cloud's trousers. Cloud squirmed, given in when he felt the General's waist press into his crotch. When he peeled his lips away from the silver hair, Cloud gasped for air, a trail of saliva running down his chin. Sephiroth continued to smile at his dilemma, the captured SOLDIER no longer struggling, realising he was not going to get out of this. Cloud's eyes, blazing with anger, shut tightly when he leaned into him, pressing his lips onto the boy's bruised neck before whispering deeply into his ear.

"I will forgive you for such slanderous words, Cloud. But if those words ever pass through your lips again, I will break you."

Cloud tried to ignore the teeth pressing into his skin, marking him again and again, the fingers around his arms slackening as Sephiroth decided he was not going to try and escape. When his lips parted from the blonde's neck, sapphire irises flared, Cloud slamming his forehead into the General's face, knocking him away from him.

Dropping his prey to the floor, the General ran a finger below his nostrils, examining the trail of blood which had began to escape from him. He stared down at Cloud, who was on all fours, teeth bared like a wild animal and backed up into the corner. Sephiroth laughed, stepping towards him, the third class shuddering violently when his boot came into contact with the steel floor beneath them. He knelt down, running a hand over Cloud's cheek before sliding fingers into golden locks, then grabbing down and pulling hard, drawing a yelp from the blonde.

"You really are obstinate." he noted in a murmur, ignoring the hate pouring out from the sapphire eyes before him, "although your attempt to harm me has amused me, you will be disciplined."

"Burn in hell…" Cloud snarled, ignoring the pain radiating from the grip pulling hair from his very skull. His breathing ragged, hardened pants escaping him, he tried to ignore the pleading erection pressing against his tight uniform, begging to be brought out and touched.

Sephiroth simply smiled at this, his cruelty showing through clearly despite still being very much sane. He began to unfasten his own pants, stopping when his manhood escaped, standing ready for penetration. Which hole would he choose? Seeing as Cloud was scowling away at the predicament, he should at least give him something to stop the libellous statements breaking out of those ever so delicious, pink lips. Cloud struggled when he pressed his pale erection against them, the General simply tightening his grip on the blonde locks, trying to force Cloud to cry out in pain. Yet he kept his lips firmly shut, even when Sephiroth tried to pull them open with his free hand, finding a wall of clenched teeth in his path. This simply made it even more entertaining. Sephiroth did not consider himself a sadist, but the more Cloud refused, the larger his desire to break him into his obedient pet became. He whispered softly to him, the threat causing Cloud's eyes to widen.

"What would Zackary say if he knew where you were last night…?" he tilted the blonde's head to face him, sapphire irises widened with terror, "if he knew how loud you were, begging for me to break you in…"

Cloud's lips pressed against the erection again, he forced the tears back into his eyes, refusing to break his resolve. Sephiroth was a monster, a demon, who cared nothing about him or anyone around him. Yet the way he held him against his will… drove his heart wild, slamming and twisting inside his ribcage. He opened his mouth ever so slightly, precum running across his upper lip when the hardened cock entered him, thrusting slowly before pulling back, Cloud's tongue following to run over the base to tip. He let out a soft moan when his mouth was filled again, eyes clenched shut until he felt the hand palming against his own erection within his pants. When had Cloud's fingers trailed down to his crotch? He stroked himself slowly at first, the pace increasing till he gained the same flow as the thrusting within his mouth.

The silver haired General watched the boy's performance with obvious appreciation. Cloud was not only obeying, but was clearly turned on from being forced into such an act. Ignoring the alarms still going off around them, Sephiroth released his grip from Cloud's hair, examining to see how the blonde would react, how quickly he would pull away. But the blonde had no intentions of doing so, moving both hands to cup the elder's testes and finger softly into the reddened flesh, sapphire optics phasing over with desire. This was the Cloud the General wanted to have, the boy his obedient pet, despite the obscenities he spouted out in his anger. Leaning back against one of the metal walls, Cloud simply shuffled forward, following the erection before him and continuing, thrusting his hips forward in time with the General's own. Sephiroth was infatuated, unable to tear his eyes from the blonde even when he felt the euphoria pouring through him. Throwing his head back, a silent cry escaped shivering lips, his essence spraying across Cloud's face and into his mouth as his own seed was released across the floor. Pleasure drowning his senses, Sephiroth felt his legs go limp, his body held up by the wall when the blonde pulled away, face covered in the thick white liquid. Sephiroth breathed, staring at the blonde when he swallowed bitterly, coughing slightly and dropping his arms, fingers spread out across the metal floor to hold him up.

When the elevator began to move again, Sephiroth simply pulled out a cadet scarf from his jacket pockets, dropping it to the floor before the third class.

"Clean yourself, then cover the marks." Cloud turned his eyes up to him, still shaking with confusion when the elevator came to a halt, Sephiroth stepping out with complete composure, dropping the key cards to the floor before the crouching SOLDIER, "and Cloud, don't be late."

As the metal doors closed again, Cloud lay on his hands and knees, shaking. Had that really, really just happened? Why had he not fought back? To be fair, he had put up a fight at the start, but then he had given in to the General's advances when he threatened him. Zack… Cloud shook his head. He could never tell his friend, never. Wiping the seed from his face with the scarf, he pulled his trousers back up before looking at the mess on the floor. If Sephiroth thought he was going to wear the scarf after cleaning this up, he was sorely mistaken. Once the elevator came to a halt, the blonde stumbled out into the entrance hall, nearly being trampled by a stampede of ShinRa employees being evacuated from the building. Assuming that Genesis was on the rooftop causing mayhem, Cloud took the opportunity to pull out his phone, dialling Elfé's number and listening quietly until she picked up.

"Cloud." was all the AVALANCHE leader greeted him with. Cloud figured she was very much like the General in that she did not bother with niceties, replying when he was not surrounded by people.

"I need you to get Aeris out of Midgar." he explained, "Genesis has just attacked the facility; when he finds out he needs S cells to survive, she wont be safe."

"S cells? But she is a cetra." Elfé questioned, the blonde shifting away from a few SOLDIERS when they looked over at him, wondering why he was on his cell phone at such a time rather than bringing out a sword and fighting. Shit. Where had he left his buster sword? Was it still in the training room? He would have to pick it up later; right now he had to make sure Aeris was safe.

"Yes, but Genesis is unpredictable. He might use her as a bargaining chip to Hojo."

After a short exhale, the brunette replied, "fine. Reeve, Nanaki, Aeris… is there anyone else you want me to bust out of Midgar? Maybe the entire population of the slums?" she was sick of doing such menial tasks. Elfé wanted to drive her blade through Hojo's chest, not offer a taxi service to Cloud's old team members.

"No." Cloud muttered, ignoring her sarcastic reply, "are Reeve and Nanaki alright?" he questioned towards the wellbeing of his friends, still not sure if he could trust the AVALANCHE leader yet.

"The ShinRa dog is busy in Bugenhagen's laboratory building some sort of ridiculous looking robot," Elfé informed, still bitterly wishing she was there to enjoy the entertainment provided by Genesis Rhapsodos as he tore ShinRa apart bit by bit, "the cat says nothing much, though voiced concerns for your well being. You sure have some weird friends, Strife."

"Not weird." the blonde noticed he was now alone in the entrance hall, everyone having been escorted to a safe location or rushing off to fight the crimson commander, "loyal."

"Whatever. I don't care for your strange friends, nor your past. I want revenge for the planet, for my father, for AVALANCHE. You are simply a means for that to happen."

"Veld? Listen, Elfé-" he was hung up on. Cloud exhaled loudly, irritated by the woman's stubbornness, turning and making his way towards the doors at full speed, wondering if the time materia in his pocket would be of any use.

* * *

Watching the blackened wings of Genesis Rhapsodos disappear into the ash grey skies, Zackary Fair's hands clung onto the banister, desperately wishing he could grow his own wings and fly after them. His mentor had ignored his pleas, the raven head begging Angeal not to leave him alone, not to go AWOL with Genesis, the very man who had caused all of this. Yet Angeal did not even acknowledge his presence, acting the same as he had done for so long, before diving off the rooftop to leave. Genesis' insufferable quoting of his stupid play had only left Zack with not only hurt filling his heart, but a rage as devastating as an earthquake. He wanted to drive his blade into the crimson commander's chest the very same way he had tried to kill Angeal, causing his mentor to start degrading. Now they would both die, and it was all Genesis' fault.

Zack could hear the TURKS behind him crying out to their fallen leader, Reno on his knees and wailing openly, begging his leader to open his eyes, say something, say anything, shaking his bloodied corpse until Elena pulled him away, shaking her head. Reno screamed out at the top of his lungs, throwing insults into the air towards the name of Genesis Rhapsodos, crying out for his blood. Rude and the other TURKS said nothing, simply watching the dishevelled red head cling onto Tseng's body, chest moving up and down as he shook with agony, a tear running down Elena's cheek. It was not that Zack had not cared for the legendary TURK leader, a man of high prestige and overwhelming fame among the slums. No, he could not mourn for the man's death while he knew that his mentor was out there in the world with a murderer as his companion, as his lover…

Gods be damned, why had Zack convinced the man that Genesis loved him?! If he truly loved him, he would not have tried to hack him apart in their hometown of Banora. Zack would never, could never do that to Cloud, or to Aeris, or any of the people he treasured and cherished so close to his heart. Genesis was not just a madman, driven to insanity from Angeal refusing his advances, he was a fucking murderer, a pyromaniac and a genetically modified monster. He had near killed Angeal when he rejected him, and now the TURK leader. He would never stop until the world bowed down to him and his pathetic poetry.

Zack slammed his fists down onto the metal, denting the banister as fury poured out of his veins. No, he would stop him; he would beat the crimson commander down with untamed, newborn hatred, until Genesis was on his knees, begging for forgiveness. Nothing he could promise, would do, could ever pay for the suffering he had caused. Cloud's memory may not have contained the true burning destruction of Genesis Rhapsodos, containing only that of the ice cold demeanour of the Jenova clone General Sephiroth himself. But while Cloud had his arch nemesis, the one enemy he would stop at nothing to defeat, Zack had now gained his own.

Genesis would die by his blade and his alone.

Zack turned abruptly, walking through the dissipating fires and past the mourning TURKS, stopping only when Reno turned to him and screamed.

"Where the fuck are you going!? That bastard just killed Tseng! How can you just leave his body here like he meant nothing to us!?" the red head's goggles had been ripped from his head, his suit burnt at the edges and stained red with his leader's blood.

Zack did not turn to look back at him, simply shaking his head.

"Tseng would not wish us to mourn for him; not until the mission is complete."

"Mission!? Who gives a fuck about the mission, yo!? Tseng is dead and it's all your fault! Why didn't you save him!?"

"Reno," Cissnei was the one who stepped in, reaching out to the red head, "Zack wouldn't have been able to save him… Genesis was too fast…"

"We have direct orders from the President to execute Commander Rhapsodos," Elena added, "Tseng's burial will have to wait. We must complete the mission." she leaned over the teenager, an arm around his shoulders, "it's what he would have wanted…"

Reno shoved her off him, pulling himself to his feet and rushing past them, colliding his shoulder with the second class SOLDIER'S as he did so. Zack said nothing as the seventeen year old flew from sight, tears flooding his eyes. He walked forward until he came to the President's chair, staring down at the paperwork on the desk. Scattered across the wood were pictures of Angeal and Genesis, along with marks on the files classing Genesis as AWOL and Angeal as a 'possible case'. He scowled, throwing the papers to the floor with one hand, a few catching alight in the sparks which still glided across the floor from the crimson commander's flames. Cissnei approached him from behind, standing a few feet from him while Zack's eyes were clenched shut, his body shaking with unbent suffering.

"Zack…I'm so sorry…" she whispered, eyes turned away towards the floor, her hands held together over her waist.

"Tseng and I were not close, Ciss." Zack murmured his response, wanting to begin his hunt for the commander but waiting for his friend, knowing she was only trying to comfort him.

"No…I don't mean Tseng," Cissnei turned her gaze to the SOLDIER, "about Angeal…and Genesis…I…"

"Don't say that man's name." Zack breathed lowly, anger ensnaring each word, "Angeal chose to leave with that monster…he's as good as dead to me…"

Cissnei frowned, stepping closer to the raven head. She slid her hand towards his, holding it when Zack's fingers intertwined with her own. She smiled to him, leaning into him with her head tilted against his arm. She would try to help Zack, relieve him of his suffering, give him hope…

After all, he was the man she loved with all of her heart.

_AN ;; Cissnei doesn't take long to swoop in there, but will Zack respond to her advances, or does he have his heart set on Cloud? His head is pretty messed up right now due to Angeal neglecting him and Genesis killing one of his friends, so who knows. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. - Nightfall_


	39. Chapter 39

_AN ;; I WANT TO BREAK FREEEEE from the rat clinging onto my earlobe. ;_; Trying to write this with baby rats jumping all over me is quite a difficult task. They've eaten six pairs of headphone wires and now I'm using my good pair and fighting them back from the laptop. One is sat on my shoulder trying to eat my ear, taking tips from the previous chapters, obviously. Warnings for YAOI in this chapter. You may have guessed that Genesis and Angeal is another favourite pairing of mine which I only started to appreciate recently. So, yeah. New chapter. Read. Enjoy. Bye til the next chapter._

**CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE**

Zack awoke the next morning with the TURK in his bed.

Letting out a low exhale, he sat up, running a hand through his hair before glancing at the sleeping girl, but no smile crossed his lips. Good Gaia, had he actually slept with Cissnei? When he noticed an ripped condom packet on his short bedside table, he inwardly groaned. This just made things more complicated than they already were - he was already having to deal with Angeal and the crimson commander both going AWOL, along with a future Cloud in a current time body. An ever so small, adorable body…

Zack shook his head. Hell, he had just had sex with Cissnei and was thinking about Cloud? At least with Cissnei, things could work; she didn't have the crisis of being the lifestream's champion, a cetra, secretly plotting to bring the ShinRa cooperation crashing to it's knees. Nor did he have to worry about her being snatched away by the silver haired General, to which Cloud was spending far, far too much time with.

But Cissnei… the raven head slumped his head back into the pillow behind him. He did not want to play with her feelings, but there were absolutely none on his own side. When he had felt her fingers wrap around his hand, he felt compelled to entwine his own, picturing it was the blonde third class by his side rather than the young TURK. The pain of being rejected by Angeal time and time again, although not in a romantic, relationship sense, but as a father refusing to acknowledge his own son, instead choosing a mass murdering pyromaniac over him, Zack's entire resolve had shattered, his confidence broken and mind leaving him nothing more than a walking mess. But when he had felt her lips on his cheek, caressing him, a hand running under his shirt, his most basic, primal instincts had kicked in. Practically carrying her back to his and Angeal's apartment, once they had done the deed, Zack collapsed in ragged breaths before falling asleep.

And now he was left to wonder whether to make a mad dash to the bathroom to scrub himself down of the girl's liquids, then run as fast as he could to the balcony and dive off, or to lay there and pretend to have died overnight. Either way, he was going to suffer her relentless wrath once she woke up and saw the look of horror that would not fade from his features unless he could transport his body to another continent or was somehow killed in the following two minutes. Feeling her arm make it's way over his waist, Zack was left stuck there with widened eyes.

That was until his phone began to vibrate in his trousers laying on the floor close by. Pulling away from Cissnei's still sleeping body, Zack retrieved his cell and answered, realising the call was from Lazard. Speaking quietly and receiving the orders to immediately make his way up to the SOLDIER Director's office, Zack began pulling on his clothes. It would probably be a dick move to pull on Cissnei to just up and leave her there, especially after what they had done last night, but waking her up and trying to explain to her that he wasn't that fond of her and had only been caught in a weak moment of intimacy in the five minutes he had before he was due in Lazard's office would be near impossible, and extremely suicidal.

So the second class slowly backed away out of his room, pulling up his blackened buster sword, the edges burnt from encountering Genesis' fire materia, then closed the door to his room. He thought he heard a stifle coming from Cissnei and practically legged it out of the apartment, diving headfirst into the elevator on the floor, much to the confusion of the employees gathered there already. He rubbed the back of his head, chuckling with that facility famous grin across his lips, but inside he was dying. Angeal, Genesis, Aeris… he had lost them all. To be fair, he had been the one to break it off with the cetra in sector five, but she was now taken by the red head Reno, and so they hardly if ever spoke anymore other than over phone calls every few days. His missions were rarely based in the slums, instead located outside of Midgar or in the facility itself for his weekly training sessions with Angeal, narrowing the chances of meeting Aeris even more. But now Angeal was gone, flown off with the crimson commander, leaving him with only one, true person he could always rely on.

Cloud.

* * *

The overpowering scent of rotting plants and thick, deep murk overpowered the senses of any who entered the strange lands of Gongaga, located far across the sea from ShinRa's Midgar facility. The ever present sounds of insects chirping beneath the shade of foliage and birds crying out their songs in the deep blue skies above near deafened the ears of the two SOLDIERS as they clung to one another in the depths of the abandoned mako reactor, bodies pressed hard together and sweat pouring from tanned skin. Despite the overwhelming heat, the two seemed uninterested in their environment, lips clashing together in a constant battle for dominance while tongues ran over trembling throats, mako infused eyes phased over with an undeniable lust.

Angeal let out a low groan as the crimson commander's tongue made it's way tantalisingly across his waist, stopping at his naval and ignoring his weeping erection, crying out for attention. His hands tied behind his head with thick rope, he ignored the burning coming from the skin beneath the strong cord as he struggled against his childhood friend's perversions, a couple of fingers pinching the hardened nipples upon his haired chest. Genesis' eyes were glinting with mischievous delight, ignoring his protests and continuing to run the saliva coated muscle over every fraction of the honourable Angeal's body, not stopping the crotch was bucked into his face.

"Damn it Gen…" Angeal's head was thrown back, desperate to be touched in his most intimate areas, "I didn't agree to this…!"

"You would have refused otherwise," Genesis purred lowly, fingers trailing over Angeal's thigh and towards his rump, "and as there is no alcohol in this goddamn jungle, I have been forced to resort to these…measures…"

"You are not-!" Angeal bit back when he felt the lubricated finger slowly pierce his body, causing his hips to roll back and erection to jolt, "Genesis!"

The crimson commander simply laughed at his dilemma, circling the finger inside tight, clenching muscles.

"It wouldn't hurt as much if you'd just relax." he informed, an eyebrow raising when Angeal shot a glare towards him, "fine fine, don't unclench your ass. It'll just make it even better when I pound my cock into it."

"I swear, when you untie me, I'm going to ring your neck."

Genesis murmured something when his lips ran over the shaft of the honourable commander's erection, drawing out another heavy moan from deep inside his chest. Stroking up and down with his mouth, Genesis slowly slid another finger into Angeal's entrance, ignoring the hiss breaking through the raven head's lips. He had been using the abandoned reactor as his personal refuge, while that ghastly scientist Hollander worked on the clones down in the basement far below. Returning to the Midgar facility simply to retrieve the degrading Angeal, when they had landed, winds still growing out upon their backs, the two had fallen into each other's arms and refused to break lips except to gasp for air before plunging back down upon one another again. Genesis knew they could not leave the facility for fear of being seen, though he would simply kill the entire townsfolk if they recognised him, Angeal had forbidden it, knowing that Zackary Fair's parents were still present in the small village. The crimson commander bitterly accepted, hating that Angeal still cared for the stupid dog, he had decided that he would carve his being into his childhood friend until he could think of no one but him. A smirk made it's way across the grey head's lips when Angeal came hard into his mouth, the liquid thick and warm and salted within his throat before he swallowed, Angeal letting out a groan.

"You shouldn't do that…"

"Why ever not? Does your honour deem drinking cum as a sin?" Genesis mocked, avoiding a kick from his friend as Angeal smiled slightly. He had given up trying to stop Genesis laughing at the constant dilemmas he put him through time and time again, and now simply lay there, accepting his fate to be mounted like a mare by the ever constant in heat stallion Genesis. Though he was going to be angry afterward, knowing full well of the pains Genesis would display back at the facility after a heavy night drinking and ending up with some nobody out in the slums, though he was always disguised during meeting the civilians and throughout the act, the pain in his hips after each of these rendezvous was obvious and infuriating to Angeal.

Genesis mused to himself when a third finger pushed it's way past the dark embrace, causing Angeal to grunt loudly. He thrust his hand back and forth, nearly slipping his knuckles into his lover's body, then noticed the scarlet stain on his fingers. Withdrawing, he stared at the blood, eyes wide in horror. He had hurt Angeal…? Genesis turned his head away, but when Angeal let out another grunt, he turned back to see the man glaring at him, panting roughly.

"Finish what you started, idiot…"

Genesis blinked. He sighed, eyes closing, a small smile making it's way across his lips. They were dying, bleeding out from the wounds across their bodies, so a small amount of bleeding coming from Angeal from being penetrated for the first time should be of no concern. Yet still, despite being the one to have cut Angeal and caused his degeneration in the first place, Genesis felt guilt wash over him, near refusing to continue until Angeal started growling lowly at him. He pulled Angeal's hips up and pushed himself into him, crying out slightly at the feel of the muscles clenching down on him.

"Goddess, Angeal, unclench your ass!"

"It hurts!" Angeal protested, sounding very much like a wounded Zack Fair.

"I don't give a damn! You're crushing my fucking cock!" Genesis scowled at the similarities between the mentor and his apprentice, pulling back and thrusting hard into the warm embrace, Angeal letting out a grunt. When he felt the tightness loosen slightly, Genesis groaned, his manhood near bruised from the rigidity. Slumping forward so his forehead was pressed against Angeal's chest, he thrust wildly and uncontrollably into the pit of warmth, ignoring Angeal's grunts as their testes slapped against each other, Angeal's wet erection rubbing against their waists. Genesis bit down onto his lover's flesh and near drew blood, Angeal's legs making their way over his hips and stroking his thighs. The crimson commander ground his fingers down like crooked talons into Angeal's sides, eliciting a ragged breath, followed by a deep groan. When he felt the tsunami of the euphoria washing towards him at an incredibly fast rate, Genesis tried to slow but was simply bucked back slightly when Angeal demanded he continue. Taking up the challenge, Genesis' fires burned away the waters of the orgasm, holding them back till he managed to make the honourable commander let out a strained groan, his prostate suddenly under heavy fire from one Genesis Rhapsodos' enlarged manhood, ivory liquid spilling over their bodies. Genesis came shortly after, collapsing in a heap of sweat and seed, panting for air upon Angeal's chest. Turning sapphire irises to the commander, Genesis sneered openly at Angeal's frustrated expression.

"And what are your thoughts, my love, on this expedition we just took?"

Angeal bucked him off with ease, causing Genesis to roll over onto the floor, landing on his wing, letting out a cry of agony from his wound being pressed upon, then laughing openly.

"It surely wasn't _that_ bad," he slid over onto his side, trailing a finger over Angeal's haired chest, "it was _me_ after all who fucked your ass for the first time. That had to count for something." his eyes glinted with delight, "would you rather Sephy pound your ass into oblivion?"

"Piss off, Gen." Angeal grunted, struggling against his bonds again, the white wings beneath him beating in the air but were unable to lift him due to Genesis having pinned him down, "and for the last time, take these ropes off of me!"

Genesis purred and set them alight. The flames burnt through them almost immediately, Angeal moving his arms to his chest and rubbing a hand over the reddened swellings. The crimson commander simply waited, predicting the man's attack, before finding himself pulled over onto his front, his thighs grabbed and yanked towards the still erect manhood of Angeal Hewley.

"You're going to regret that," Angeal muttered, running the head of his erection over Genesis' pink hole.

Genesis laughed openly, ignoring the threat.

"Come on, it was only a matter of time-!" he let out a whine when he was penetrated, stopping him half sentence. Angeal leaned over him, growling quietly as he ran his hands over Genesis' sides, caressing his skin lovingly. So much for that threat, Genesis mused, feeling a hand trailing across his black wing. It was strangely arousing, the feel of the extra limb being stroked adoringly, causing Genesis' cock to spring to life yet again.

"Where is Hollander?" Angeal muttered, thrusting slowly into his childhood friend, "the man told us he would have the cure ready by the sunrise, yet he still has not arrived."

"You want him to walk in on us doing _this_?" Genesis sniggered, "the fool is probably still in his laboratory with all those SOLDIERS I gathered for them. I'm beginning to wonder if he's related to fucking Hojo."

Angeal ground his teeth down, trying to keep Genesis under control, knowing that if he left him unfilled for a mere moment, the crimson commander would be off, either setting fire to the jungles around them or demanding to penetrate him again. Having a conversation with Genesis whilst his erection was slowly moving in and out of his body was not the top of Angeal's agenda, but at least this way he could have a conversation with the man without having to fight for air.

"Those were innocent men, Gen…"

"So were we."

He had a point there. Suddenly Genesis rolled his hips back, slamming the back of his head into Angeal's chin and throwing him onto his back. Genesis was purring like the proud feline he truly was, sitting up and lifting his body up and down.

"Besides…" he panted his replies, consumed with aspiration, "their sacrifice…will be…for the greater good…" by this, Genesis meant their survival. He cared not for the sufferings of human kind, not compared to his selfish, requited desire for Angeal. He tilted his head back, watching Angeal from the corner of his eye. Now that the raven head was his, he would never let him go. No one would see Angeal this way, in such uncontrollable, obvious pleasure. If they did, Genesis would hunt them down and gouge out their eyes with his own fingernails. But for now, the only one he would have to worry about interrupting their session was the scientist Hollander experimenting on the men he captured with promises of elevations in their rankings, only to give them as lab rats to the mad man below. That, and the infuriating Zackary Fair, of whom Genesis had pictured killing over a thousand different ways, though was still deciding which method would be both amusing, and pleasurable…

* * *

"Over four hundred ShinRa employees have disappeared in the last month alone, even before Commander Rhapsodos' attack on the forty ninth floor," Director Lazard informed, "they are suspected victims of Rhapsodos, however, we believe many left by their own will, believing the commander would increase their hierarchy within the facility…"

Zack was stood in front of the Director's desk, ignoring the constant vibrating in his uniform pocket from the cell phone. It was most likely Cissnei, calling him up either to inquire to his wellbeing or current location in the building, or to scream at him for being such a pig. However, Zack did not answer, glancing at the dishevelled red headed TURK sat on the tables opposite Lazard, a scowl unmoving from his features.

"Fuck them." Reno muttered lowly, "anyone who's on the side of that bastard is an enemy to ShinRa, to me. I'll kill them all."

"We want them returned alive for questioning," Lazard informed, ignoring the hatred radiating towards Genesis from Reno, "as many as possible. A dozen would be enough to extract an adequate amount of information from."

Zack simply nodded, turning off the phone in his pocket stealthily, the SOLDIER director having heard the vibrations and raised an eyebrow towards the second class. Reno however was not content with such a response.

"I'll beat the brains out of Rhapsodos' fucking skull." drawing a hiss, Reno did not try to veil his fury, "I'll leave Hewley for Fair. Murdering bastards."

"I will not hurt Angeal." Zack shook his head, "he's…was, my mentor. You can't ask me to do that, Director. Anything but that."

"Actually, Zack, that order is permitted to be given to you, however," Lazard raised his glasses, "I see not that Angeal should be killed. Rather, the science department is interested in this…degradation, as Hojo calls it. They want him returned alive for research purposes."

"That's even worse than killing him!" Zack cried, his eyes widened, "you know what they do on floor sixty eight, how could you possibly let that happen to Angeal?!"

"I don't make the orders, Zack," Lazard exhaled lowly, "I simply give them. This is a direct command from President ShinRa himself. I am not permitted to overturn it, however, I can give you other options." he held out the files to the two, "you are to take a group of six to eight SOLDIERS with you, third clases."

"Alright! We can bring Cloud!" Reno grinned at this, "I'll let him have a couple of cuts into Rhapsodos, too." he leapt to his feet, trying to snatch the papers from Zack, who frowned.

"Where is this mission to take place?" he stopped on the blonde's file, his heart lightening upon viewing the chocobo hair of Cloud.

"I was waiting for you to ask that," Lazard smiled slightly, trying to soften the tension in the air, "the last information we have of the commanders whereabouts is from a witness in the Gongaga zone, who saw them flying towards the abandoned reactor." he noticed Zack's eyebrows raise, "Gongaga was your hometown, was it not?"

"Yes…" he murmured, "but, why would they go there?"

"The mako reactor in that area was cleared of all staff once it had a meltdown just a little over five years ago," Lazard explained, "it has often been used by terrorist organisations like AVALANCHE as a hideout. We expect the two commanders are located there, along with the mission SOLDIERS."

"But how would they have gotten that many people over the ocean? It's not like they have wings, yo." Reno questioned, leaning over Zack's shoulder on his tip toes to grin at Cloud's file, which Zack was still paused on.

"There are such things as boats." Zack muttered, Reno scowling at him, about to yell in his ear when Lazard continued.

"We expect they moved our people over on a cargo ship, most likely passing them off as tourists or putting them in the very crates themselves. Either way, we can now assume that Rhapsodos forced them against their wills once they realised he was not as he first seemed."

"You can say that again." Reno hissed, then drew out his baton, "alright! Let's go pick up Cloud, some of his mates, then get the chopper to Gon-what's-it's-name and kick Rhapsodos' ass right down to hell!"

"You are to take a boat," Lazard explained, Zack rolling his eyes at the TURK, "approaching by air would draw too much suspicion, and would alert the commanders near immediately to your presences."

"Oh, I forgot they had wings." Reno scoffed, "how is that even possible?!"

"They're not human," Zack shook his head, "at least, not entirely."

Lazard raised an eyebrow but said nothing towards this, though wondered how the raven head knew of such classified information. He got out of his chair, the two men before him standing straight and saluting him when he did so, although Reno still held his characteristic slouch, despite shifting, his spine obviously beginning to bend from constantly being in such a laid back position.

"You are to depart at fourteen hundred hours this afternoon. I expect you both to have chosen men to accompany you on this mission. After being collected by truck from the side entrance, you will travel to Junon to take a boat from there until you reach the Gongaga area. Do I have any questions?"

"Sir, no sir!" Reno responded, and though he was grinning, the fury was still very much present in his eyes, his grin a wicked sneer as he pictured battering the crimson commander to a bloody pulp.

Zack did not respond, staring back down at Cloud's picture on the files in his hands.


	40. Chapter 40

_AN ;; Hueheuehuehuehue. RANT TIME ANYWAY can I just point out, my one biggest issue with Advent Children is Rufus ShinRa. Why? YOU SEE HIM GET KILLED IN THE GAME. HE'S DEAD. GONE. Killed by one of the planet's WEAPONS. One minute he's crippled in his chair, the next jumping up like yo i'm perfectly fine woo. NO. He died before Advent Children. DIED. Unless that Rufus is a clone, which I highly doubt, then wtf square enix? anyway, here's a new chapter. Enjoy an overly possessive Sephiroth and pissed off Cloud and Zack._

**CHAPTER FORTY**

Although Cloud was worried about Zack's wellbeing after the crimson commander's attack on the Midgar faculty, he had been informed from Corporeal Riley that Zack was very much alright in physical terms, however, his stunning, legendary Zackary Fair confidence was most likely shattered from witnessing both the commanders turn on SOLDIER. The blonde had searched for his old friend through the faculty, but when he came to the doorway of Angeal and Zack's apartment, he was greeted with the strangest noises. Zack was with a woman…? He'd just seen his honourable, beloved mentor dive off the balcony and fly off into the skies with Genesis by his side! What was he thinking?! The third class SOLDIER was tempted to kick the door down and storm into Zack's bedroom, pull him off whatever harlot he was bedding, and punching him square in the jaw. Yet Cloud did not disturb the second class, instead making his way to the training rooms instead. He wondered if Zack would hate him too when Cloud himself would have to fight against ShinRa. Despite Cloud being against ShinRa and all aspects of the company, he did not, would not, murder innocent people, so perhaps Zack would understand, even aid him in this task. Genesis Rhapsodos had no quarrels with tearing the innocent employees apart himself, however, with his breakdown on the forty ninth floor, and now releasing a blaze upon the TURKS and then hacking their leader Tseng down. Cloud had at first been saddened by this; he had failed to protect another person in this new world, but he knew that Tseng's loyalties to ShinRa and the President were absolute. Trying to tell him of how he was a cetra transported through the lifestream from another dimension would be like trying to crack a tear from Sephiroth's cold glare.

Sephiroth…the man now openly terrified him. Forcing him to his knees in the elevator and demanding he service him, only to leave him with a face full of essence and a scabby cadet scarf by his feet, along with the TURK registered key cards which had been returned to him as some sort of wicked payment. His actions had been so predictable, they were locked in a tight metal box with each other after all, but Cloud had secretly wondered if the General would just continue to ignore his presence. That was, until, the alarms began echoing though the building, causing the elevator to screech to a sudden halt. He found himself complying to the silver hair's demands, resulting in him now having to wear a scarf around his neck to cover the marks on his neck, though it did not heal his wounded dignity. The scarf he had used to clean the floor like a mere ShinRa employee he had thrown into the nearest disposal unit - though he would have set fire to it if he had a fire materia on hand alike the crimson commander. Cloud wondered if the science department would find the piece of fabric but he shook his head, leaving it in a skip just outside the building in the slums. It wasn't like Hojo would be raking through bins…would he?

The man was certainly insane enough for that, he supposed. What had he been trying to get from injecting Sephiroth with an aphrodisiac? The four women trapped within a cage of plastic and chemicals had been so openly horrified of the silver hair, Cloud had expected him to run Masamune through each of them. Yet Hojo was uninterested in them any longer, after discovering Sephiroth had … found release … elsewhere other than his specimens. The professor seemed set on the idea that it was a woman, yet the very boy the General had chosen to bed the night before was crouched, hiding so close to them that he could practically feel the mad man's breath on the back of his neck. Hojo wanted more research subjects, more of Sephiroth, to toy with and torment in the name of science. Luckily, Cloud did not have female reproductive parts, otherwise his body would be screaming for him to run. Yet he still felt intimidated. Not just from Hojo's demands that the 'woman' be brought to him, but from how Sephiroth had simply used him to cure himself of the poison in his system.

Cloud was not a petty person. He could cope with being beaten down time and time again, but with something as precious as his virginity… it felt like his heart was being wrenched out from his very chest. The most painful fact being that the man who had torn his way into his innocence was the very same who he had fought time and time again, leaving him with the burning white scar upon his chest, to which Sephiroth had licked adoringly, as though he knew it had come from him. Cloud shuddered when he felt the phone vibrating in his pocket, drawing him out of his thoughts. He checked the time, realising it was morning. Had he been training all night? He'd at least found his blade lying in the very same place he'd dropped it, seeming to glare up at him in irritation for his lack of care. Cloud did have a bit of a habit of breaking swords, and despite Angeal Hewley's constant protests about using his buster sword, claiming he did not want to bring 'wear and tear', Cloud had used it as a grave marker for Zack, overlooking the depths of Edge from afar, where the raven head had stood his final battle to protect them against ShinRa. The blade had became rusted and near unusable, and from what Cloud now knew about Zack's mentor, the man would have been turning in his grave at the thought of his family heirloom being left out like that to rust away into nothingness. Yet that was the old world, not this one, his new realm he was destined to protect from Jenova herself.

His body tiring, the blonde opened his cell and accepted the call.

"Hey, Spiky."

"Zack." the anxiety in Cloud's voice was new kill raw, "are you…are you ok?" he knew he was alright in physical aspects, but he waited, listening for the sound of the raven head breaking into tears over the line.

However, Zack did not.

"I'm fine, listen, we have direct orders from the President to go to Gongaga. Angeal and Genesis have been sighted there. We leave at fourteen hundred hours."

Wow. Zack sounded like the General in his reply, a complete façade of emotionless in his every word. Cloud frowned.

"Yeah. I can do that. But…Zack…" he wondered if he should mention hearing the raven head with a woman in his apartment, but who was he to judge? He'd let the General of all people pound his ass into oblivion and then use him as entertainment in the elevator only a dozen or so hours before, "are you sure…?"

"Cloud. I'm fine. Angeal has made his choice."

"But-" he sighed, deciding he was not going to get through to his friend, "where will I meet you?"

"At the side entrance to the faculty. We have a vehicle which will take us to Junon, from there we go over by sea to Gongaga. The TURK Reno will be accompanying us, along with six other third class SOLDIERS." ah, so Reno was going? Most likely to hunt the crimson commander down in the name vengeance for Tseng.

"Alright. I'll be there." Cloud heard his friend hang up before he could continue. He stared down at the buster sword in his right hand, examining the glowing green materia in the two slots. He had his level three ice, and the mastered time materia to which Sephiroth seemed uninterested in retrieving. He also had his earth materia, and MP drain, he had them in his trouser pockets in case they were required. With time materia, however, he could just escape from any unnecessary battles, slowing or halting Gaia's turning, bending the very planet to his will. And such was the power of the materia which every time it was used, drained the world of more life. Cloud had limited his use with materia when he had discovered this in his old world, but with his cetra blood, any magic he used did not damage Gaia, for the planet knew him as a champion of the lifestream, a protector of her honour, a warrior in her name.

Cloud sheathed his weapon into the strap on his back before making his way to the given location, where he would meet Zack.

* * *

"No."

"…What?"

"I do not agree with the decision to send Strife to Gongaga with Fair." Sephiroth stated simply, examining the look of confusion on Director Lazard's face. He had been told of Zackary's mission to Gongaga to retrieve Angeal, and most likely put Genesis down, as he had been the one first asked to take the journey there and end both of his old friends. He had refused, so the order was moved on to the next closest person to the two commanders, Angeal's apprentice himself. Yet now he had been told that Cloud was to accompany Zack to the abandoned reactor the General was no longer content with just lying back and letting the ShinRa dogs fight amongst one another. "I am requesting you withdraw Strife from the mission. I would prefer his presence by my side on my scheduled mission to Wutai later this month."

"He could do both-?" Lazard was confused. Why did the General have an issue with a third class nobody being sent out to his death, when he didn't bat an eyelash at the names of the other SOLDIERS as he listed them.

"No."

Lazard exhaled. They couldn't risk Sephiroth of all people going AWOL as well as his two ex commanders, but what was possessing the man to be so protective of Cloud Strife? When he was a cadet, the General had little to no interest in the boy, or at least, not in Lazard's thoughts. But now the silver haired wolf of ShinRa was adamantly refusing to allow Strife to accompany Zack Fair to Gongaga, yet he didn't seem to give a damn about any of the other SOLDIERS that would most likely be facing their death within Genesis Rhapsodos' treacherous flames.

"Alright." Lazard conceded, giving the General what he desired, "Strife will be pulled out of this mission. I will send a message to Fair directly."

"No."

Lazard's eyebrows rose when Sephiroth put forward his own suggestion.

"I will inform Fair of the decision myself."

"…If that is what you think best, General." when Sephiroth simply turned and made his way out of the office at his usual stoic pace, Lazard leaned back into his leather chair. All this fuss over one blonde? Even Rufus wasn't this sought after, despite owning a combination of godly beauty and overpowering wealth. Which reminded the SOLDIER Director, he had not spoke to his half brother in a long while. Pulling out his cell phone, he dialled the number and waited, before greeting his relative.

"Hello, Rufus."

* * *

"They're bringing in some pansy prick from Wutai to replace Tseng, I mean what the fuck," Zack was ignoring the ranting red head, who sat on the back on the truck with his legs hanging off the edge, the SOLDIERS climbing past him, "I don't even know of this guy. Apparently he was leader of the TURKS before retiring, so why the hell is he coming back now?"

Veld, his official title having been 'Head of Department of Administrative Research', was being called in to replace the fallen TURK leader Tseng, cancelling his two year retirement early. Veld had at first refused the offer, which soon became a direct order from the President himself. He had left ShinRa a few years after the disaster in Kalm which resulted in all the members of his family being killed, allowing Tseng to take over as leader of ShinRa's hyenas. But now he was no longer exempt from the company, for TURKS were usually not permitted retirement, living and dying as weapons of ShinRa, not mortals with consciousness or feelings. However, Veld had been an exception, for his duties to the President were famous to all the original TURKS and even the commanders themselves. Reno protested he did not know of the man, but that was only as he did not want to act as though Tseng had never existed, as the President had done ; replacing the fallen leader within hours. Elena, Rude and the other TURKS did not argue with the decision, yet Reno was livid. Having managed to keep the majority of his composure in front of the Director, the teenager had unleashed his rage into a wall on the still burnt forty ninth floor, his fist driving through steel until he heard the sound of cracking bones.

Now he sat scowling away at Zack Fair, who was ignoring his petty comments directed towards Veld and concentrating on the task at hand - waiting for Cloud. Standing in two foot deep snow, the white clumps still gliding down to them from above, the other third class SOLDIERS had arrived early to the appointed vehicle. They wanted to prove themselves to the second class that they were still very much loyal to ShinRa, despite their commanders going AWOL. And although Zack himself appeared loyal to the company, he had stayed only for Cloud and Angeal; yet now that his mentor was gone, he still refused to give up his SOLDIER roots, not unless Cloud asked him to.

Ignoring the ringing coming from the phone in his pocket, a snowflake landing on his nose, Reno began to sneer.

"So, you and Cissnei, huh?"

Zack shot him a glare of absolute fury which burnt through the snow between them. Reno held up his hands in protest, feigning innocence.

"Yo! Don't look at me like that! Everyone knew she fancied the pants off you!" the red head shook his dishevelled hair, a SOLDIER passing by him to clamber up onto the floor of the truck, "when she didn't come back to the office last night, we traced her phone, found her in _your_ apartment."

"We just talked. That's all." Zack muttered, knowing full well that lying to Reno was like trying to bleed a rock - impossible.

"Uhuh. You know, the marks on your neck don't exactly scream 'we just talked'. Oh, and the tracker also has a mic…" Reno's blue irises were dancing with glee, despite his previous fury towards the man Veld, "we heard some pretty…" when Zack's frame hardened into a near statue, Reno persisted, expecting to be punched square in the jaw but lavishing in the SOLDIER'S dilemma far too much to care, "erotic…noises…"

When Zack's fist flew at him, Reno dived down, a third class behind him getting hit in the head. The TURK fell from the truck and lay on his side laughing on the snow covered ground, Zack contemplating whether to kick him or not. Yet his own honour deemed that move inappropriate, and so he began to ignore the TURK as he continued to snigger at the thought of the two together. Reno was half buried beneath the snow in less than five minutes, the winter skies raining down on them with a gentle, cool bliss, a sheen of frost painted over the glass of the truck windows. The third classes sat shivering in the truck, covering themselves with a thick blanket provided to them by Zack, who had planned out their trip to the very moment they departed from Lazard's office, right until his blade met with Genesis'.

"You know, it's alright yo. I'm dating Aeris now, you're dating Ciss. All worked out fine in the end." Reno waited impatiently for the SOLDIER to attack him, figuring he could take out his anger about Tseng's death on the raven head and claim that it was self defence when questioned later. He began to build a snowball in his hands, smirking dangerously and aiming it towards the back of Zack's head.

Zack's brow turned into a sharp V on his forehead when he felt the thick clump of snow hit the back of head, yet he did not turn to Reno, not bothering to pay his immature behaviour any heed. He had nearly forgotten that the idiot teenager behind him was now in a relationship with the cetra. Rubbing his knuckles which had collided with the innocent third class behind Reno, he finally noticed the spikes of blonde making their way towards him, Cloud's buster sword readied on his back and shoulder armour strapped on. Zack smiled when he noticed Cloud looked much more confident than he had done for a long time.

Cloud was wearing a thick cadet registered scarf around his neck, obviously to keep him warm from the bitter wind lapping around them like a sea of frost. Zack found it looked quite cute on the blonde, though he would have preferred to examine Cloud's pale neck blueing deliciously in the current weather than the basic tan material. Cloud stopped before him, smiling softly.

"Zack."

"Cloud."

When Cloud nodded, Zack grinned. He could not stay serious with the chocobo haired sixteen year old for long.

"We're going to my hometown."

"I know. Gongaga, huh? Sounds like such a backwater place."

"Hah! says the one from Nibelheim!"

"Zack... Angeal and Genesis... you wont be able to take them both on yourself, even through their degradation." Cloud murmured, Zack smiling softly.

"I wont have too, not with you being by my side. Like the good old days, huh?" he grinned like the enthusiastic puppy he truly was, "which reminds me; you need to tell me about my past with you some time. I want to know everything about our time together..."

Cloud smiled softly, nodding. The two were enjoying their banter despite the situation they were in, but that changed when a snowball whizzed towards them. Zack instinctively dodged to the side, the ball colliding with Cloud's head and sending him slumping back onto the ground behind him. Reno burst into cackles, holding his chest whilst his legs sprawled in the air, hysterical at being able to hit the blonde in the face. Cloud groaned, rubbing a hand over his face to get the bitter cold material off of him. Zack turned to the red headed TURK, furious. However, when another snowball rushed past him, the raven head dodging again as the ball collided with Reno's crotch, Cloud was left in a fit of chortles. Reno cried out in agony, whining before pulling himself onto all fours, leaning over his knees.

"That was a low blow, yo!" protesting, he began to make another weapon out of winter's gift, before flinging it towards the blonde. Cloud rolled out of the way, taking cover behind Zack, the second class' chest being hit. Zack stared at the white clumps running down his chest, feeling Cloud's fingers entwined in his shirt behind him, then grinned.

The three began a battle, all aiming for each other whilst the third classes in the truck watched in a mixture of bewilderment and disbelief. Two SOLDIERS and a TURK having so much fun openly in the middle of the side entrance to the faculty, while they were supposed to be making their way to Junon? Yet while Cloud and Zack turned their fire on the red headed Reno, who was wearing his goggles to cover his eyes from snowflakes exploding around him, their combined efforts resulting in the TURK falling back to the truck, another pair of eyes watched, a particularly unique, lime green, feline slit couple. Reno shouted to them, begging for a truce, simply allowing the two SOLDIERS to turn on each other instead. Zack leapt onto Cloud's back and brought them both tumbling towards the ground, the two friends laughing with their hearts' content, Zack's eyes opened to find the General staring down at them, his face set in an indifferent mask, lips held together in a fine, unmoving line.

Cloud only stopped laughing when he felt Zack go stiff behind him. Splitting open radiating sapphire irises only just, he found himself locked onto the frosted glare of Sephiroth.

"Fair," the General did not even raise an eyebrow at the two as they scrambled to their feet, standing and saluting, eyes widened in shock, "Strife…" examining the scarf around the blonde's neck, Sephiroth held back an amused smirk. So Cloud took his advice after all? When he noticed the bruises on Zackary's own throat, he near purred in a Genesis like manner. So the raven head had a love interest other than Cloud? He would not have to worry for his blonde as much now. Or at least, so he derived.

"General." Zack replied, listening to the TURK scrambling up into the truck behind them, not wanting to be anywhere near the terrifying silver head.

When Zack noticed the colour had completely drained from Cloud's face, his previous confidence and laughter now shattered and silenced by being in the presence of the General, he relaxed slightly. He'd rather the blonde was afraid of Sephiroth than the two becoming friends.

"Strife is not to partake in this mission." Sephiroth stated simply, watching as both of the SOLDIERS' eyes began to widen in confusion.

"What? Why?" Zack growled, "under who's command?"

"My own."

Cloud flared in the snow around him, furious that Sephiroth would stop him from accompanying Zack to his hometown of Gongaga, knowing he should be there to support his old friend when he took on his old mentor and the crimson commander.

"No! you can't do that!" Cloud snapped, "Lazard already gave the order!"

"I had him change it." the General near raised an eyebrow at the wolf before him. Did Cloud really think he would let him go with the second class to Gongaga and likely both be killed by Genesis, despite the man's degradation leaving him a crippling wreck? No, he cared not if Zack was wounded, but the only one who would ever leave scars, bruises and bites upon Cloud's body was himself, and no one else. "You are to accompany me to Wutai later this month. Your presence in this mission was deemed unnecessary."

"You can't expect Zack to face the commanders on his own!"

"He is not on his own. He has approximately six third class SOLDIERS and one TURK accompanying him. Due to the commanders both degrading, taking them down should be an easy task."

Cloud was infuriated. How dare Sephiroth act like Zack would be perfectly fine going against his older mentor? Act like he gave a damn about Cloud when he practically forced his desires on him? He had already been made to perform three occasions of sexual acts upon the General; first in the training room, then the man's very bed…and then in a fucking elevator. He was not going to just be a plaything for him, for anyone. He wanted to stand by Zack's side and fight, not lay on his back and let Sephiroth do what he pleased to him. Fuck. That.

"You can take your orders, Sir," Cloud snarled, his teeth bared when he pulled back his lips in a canine like fashion, thoroughly sick to the core of the General throwing his weight around, "and shove them right up your ass."

Zack was staring at Cloud in horror. Sure, he wanted Cloud to dislike the General, but now he was being suicidal! However Sephiroth simply smirked at this, his feline slit pupils narrowed into the tiniest fractions of black within his eyes.

"You are dismissed, Strife."


	41. Chapter 41

_AN ;; Song for this chapter is 'Anywhere' by Evanescence. Anyway, I thought everyone enjoyed watching Cloud and Sephiroth sexing. Come on, his rants at the General are hilarious, especially when we all know he's just digging himself into a pit of bottomless pleasure, courtesy of Sephiroth. WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER - crazy Genesis, hard YAOI, and heartache. Please enjoy, review, or drop me a message if you want to ask a question (: - Nightfall_

**CHAPTER FORTY-ONE**

Every part of Cloud's mind screamed at him to run. Yet with the fury burning in his heart, he refused the most basic instincts of survival, standing with his buster sword drawn before the General. Sephiroth was smirking that signature, callous smile, Masamune still sheathed by his side, examining the blonde wolf before him. Cloud's sapphire eyes had blazed with anger once he was dismissed right in front of Zack, the sixteen year old storming off back into the facility. Zack had stood completely dumbstruck, having expected the silver hair to run his blade through them both for Cloud's reply of 'shove your orders up your ass'. Yet Sephiroth simply dismissed him also before trailing along in the trail of ire left by the third class.

Now they stood facing each other in training room forty nine, Cloud's eyes narrowed into sharp blue slits. His body nearly shaking with rage, he watched as the silver General simply continued to stare right through him.

"Why would you do that!? You know Zack wanted me to go with him! He needs me!" he yelled at the General, not caring who heard him. Zack was his friend, his closest friend, yet Sephiroth was acting as though he didn't give a damn about either of the two SOLDIERS. He was furious at the silver hair for acting like a spoilt child, refusing to let him go.

"Your presence on the mission was not required." Sephiroth replied simply, ignoring the radiating fires coming from Cloud Strife.

His sword swung towards him. Sephiroth parried with ease, sparks flying from the blades when they collided, Cloud's power shining through when he managed to cause the General to slid back ever so slightly across the floor. It seemed Cloud was much, much stronger when he unleashed the darkness inside him. Now this could be most interesting indeed. Sephiroth slashed his blade upward, causing the blonde to fly back and land shakily on the floor around ten feet from the General, panting raggedly with rage.

"Fuck you! You know what I mean! Angeal was his mentor! You-!" Cloud shook his head, his heart thumping against his chest, threatening to break through his ribs, "I hate you! You're nothing but a monster!"

So Cloud thought of him as a monster? Sephiroth continued to smile, allowing the blonde to burn through his energy with the angered outbursts until he was left a shaking mess, barely able to stand. He approached him, swiping the blade that aimed for his body away with ease, ignoring Cloud's attempts to continue the fight. For a wolf, he truly was easily broken. Though, Cloud had not acted like this when he and Genesis had sparred, nor when he locked blades with Angeal's apprentice, the beloved ShinRa pup. No, Cloud's resolve was shattered only by the silver General, who now stood before him, his feelings no longer masked. Kneeling onto one leg, Sephiroth ran his right hand over Cloud's cheek, lifting up his face so his lips were near served on a silver platter. Kissing him gently at first, the blonde responded to his touch, shivering beneath his hold before their flesh parted, a trial of saliva holding them together for but a moment.

"If you think…I'm going to Wutai with you…" Cloud was silenced again by another kiss, his body trembling under the General's caressing touch. A moan broke through him when the Masamune blade trailed across his side, stopping by the scar Sephiroth had given him. The feeling of liquid running down his skin drew a sharp whine from the chocobo haired boy, his fingers digging down onto the floor beneath, turning his hands into small, tightened fists.

Sephiroth smiled at this, the sweet blood running down his katana.

"Refusing a direct command from a superior officer? Cloud, you really are masochistic…" when he cut into the blonde's scar again ever so slightly, he elicited a hiss as Cloud's lips snagged onto his own, kissing him violently, near begging to be tortured. Sephiroth complied with the boy, biting down on his lower lip before pushing his tongue past the ivory teeth, absorbing every essence of Cloud. He released his grip from the handle of his sword, pushing Cloud down onto his back.

"Get…off me…" despite the words coming from Cloud's lips, his body was crying out the complete opposite, pleading to be touched, to be broken in. The General leaned on one arm, smirking with amusement when Cloud's eyes phased over with lust, softened into pools of radiating mako. A finger running down Cloud's chest and stopping by his naval, circling just above skin level where the third class had been attached and grown within the womb of angels, Sephiroth replied with ease, deliberately drawing out the time so Cloud was left a quivering, begging mass of skin and muscle.

"You need to be punished for that outburst, Cloud…" he leaned into the boy, running his lips over a small earlobe and clasping down, tugging gently until the flesh reddened around his mouth.

Cloud's eyes widened in distress. He didn't want this, to have the General claim him as his own after tearing him away from Zack, but his body was responding unlike it had ever done for any other being before, not even when Tifa had tried to arouse him, only to find the blonde standing numbly before her, not sure what he was supposed to be feeling. But now his entire body was shaking with need, crying out desperately for release, erection rubbing against his tight boxers beneath his SOLDIER uniform. His sapphire eyes widened in horror, his gaze was locked onto those piercing green eyes of Sephiroth, that smirk never leaving his lips. Silver locks ran like a waterfall over Cloud's shoulders, sliding across the skin on his neck to cause his body to tremble even more. This man was so powerful, so dangerous, so deadly. Yet every single fraction of Sephiroth was like a drug to Cloud, who just could not get enough after having his first taste.

"Don't deny it, Cloud…" a hand slid it's way into Cloud's trousers, palming at his weeping erection, "your entire body is quivering under my touch…"

Cloud could not break the lock on their stares, even when he felt his manhood being stroked slowly with those ice cold fingers. Biting down onto his lower lip to stop himself from moaning, a trail of blood began to ran from the cut, stopping only when Sephiroth's tongue made it's way over his skin, lapping up the wound before drawing back, feline irises latched onto every fragment of detail on Cloud.

"You belong to me…"

* * *

"What do you mean the cure is not ready?!"

"I-it will t-take time to prepare!"

"We don't have time, damn you!"

Hollander was thrown back against the glass of a mako tank, shattering it and being near drowned within the sickly blue liquid. Luckily for him, the concentration was not to it's full extent, though that did not stop the acid from beginning to burn through his body as though he were on fire. Genesis Rhapsodos stood before him, his hair now snow white from the degradation he was suffering, although that did not stop him from using his materia cast sword to throw the scientist. Fires burned around his arms as he stood panting, gasping for air to fuel his rotting body, wing collapsed to the floor, no longer having the strength to carry it.

"I-I n-need S cells!" the professor explained, trying to wipe away the liquid from his body as he threw off his burning laboratory coat, while attempting to keep the crimson commander from running that wicked blade through his chest, "until I have those, I can only cure you temporarily!"

"S cells?" Genesis murmured, glancing at his lover who sat staring at one of the clones in an eight foot tank, connected to the mainframe of the computers Hollander had designed through wires attached to it's very skull. Angeal pressed a hand against the glass, frowning. Genesis turned to his childhood friend, ignoring the scientist desperately trying to get the broken glass and mako liquid out of his skin.

Angeal did not turn to him, his hair now a dark grey, wings held steady behind his back though were rested towards the step he sat on. Genesis slouched slightly, waiting for his lover to acknowledge him. Angeal glanced at him, his eyes darkened and worn, before lifting an arm and placing it onto Genesis' shoulders. The crimson commander leaned into him, head resting against the once raven head's shoulder.

"The fool says we need S cells to survive…" Genesis murmured, watching as Angeal examined the likeliness of the clone before him to that of his lover, "do you know what he means, or shall I cut him down like the liar he is?"

Angeal sighed softly.

"He means we need Sephiroth's DNA."

Genesis raised an eyebrow at this.

"What? How will that help us in any way?"

"Sephiroth is not fully human, either." the two ex commanders turned their gazes from the clone towards Angeal's father, Hollander, who's skin had began to mutate from the mako, rippling with pain and stretching to cope with the muscles building in size within him; yet he did not attack his captor, nor his son by his side, "his body was fused with the cells of an ancient alien known only as Jenova while he was still within his mother's womb, courtesy of Professor Hojo…" he approached them, mako still dripping from his darkened locks, "unlike the G cells, the S cells do not degrade. He is…the perfect specimen…"

Genesis scowled at this, uninterested in the way people lusted over Sephiroth like he was the Goddess' gift. Angeal continued to frown, turning his attentions fully to his deranged father.

"Sephiroth…isn't human?"

"Not entirely, no."

"Whoop tee fucking doo." Genesis muttered, ignoring the two and turning to his clone, grinning at his own beauty, "it wasn't exactly rocket science. No human could be that powerful."

Angeal approached his father, nearly placing a hand on the melting skin but choosing not too. He did not care that Hollander was now burning away, mutating into something horrific. No, his heart belonged only to the phoenix behind him, scowling away to himself at the thought of having to retrieve Sephiroth's cells somehow. Angeal no longer cared for ShinRa, for his father, for the planet. He was dying, so why bother? Yet while he had given up hope for their lives, the crimson commander had not.

"So what, do we need his blood, or?" Genesis suddenly sneered, "I can cut off his head, if Angeal permits it."

"I do not," Angeal responded, Genesis simply purring in response, pulling himself to his feet and moving forward, standing a few yards from the honourable commander and his mad father, sword still in hand.

"You will need his skin, blood, or hair." Hollander explained, "or anything that I can extract the cells from."

"So his head _would_ do?" Genesis queried, clearly delighted with the idea of taking the General on. Though when he heard Angeal's low exhale, he added, "fine. I'll go to Midgar, destroy the facility, cut off a lock of his stupid hair and be back by evening." he began to make his way out of the basement room, only to stop when a pair of clones came running in, wearing SOLDIER issued uniforms.

"Sirs, we have received word from our sources in the main facility that the President has dispatched a group of SOLDIERS this way." one began, explaining as Genesis looked down at the useless sack of cells, "they will be boarding a carrier ship from Junon, and will arrive in Gongaga this evening."

"Did they say who has been sent?" Angeal questioned, turning from Hollander when the scientist finally collapsed in a heap of agony on the floor, trying to stop the mutation in his body from being directly showered with mako.

"Second class Zackary Fair is leading the mission, with the TURK Reno by his side."

Angeal's face drained of all colour. Genesis noticed and felt the fury boiling through his veins. Why did his lover still give a damn about that infuriating ShinRa dog? He was nothing to them, only an insignificant insect among their godlike greatness. Yet that mosquito could still draw blood, and in their current state, Genesis could not risk Angeal getting hurt. It was time to put their final plan into action. The crimson commander walked briskly past the clones, leaving Angeal to stand gaping in his wake, lips parted as the shock flowed through him, knowing Zack was coming for his head.

"There is no hate, only joy…" Genesis breathed, making his way forward to the entrance before spreading out his wing, "for you, are beloved by the goddess…" he leapt into the skies, black feathers trailing in his wake as he glided up into the abyss above, heading towards Midgar, to enact his final play, to destroy ShinRa.

* * *

Cloud's fingers drove into the cold tiles, nearly cutting his nails on the sharpness of the concrete grit which pulled away from the wall within his clutches, the sixteen year old trying in vain to keep his composure. His body was being driven into, his thighs held steady although the rest of him was shuddering with each moment, each thrust, the hot water spraying down onto his back. His legs spread and arms forced against the tiled wall, Cloud was pounded into by the General, sweat trickling over his body, quiet moans escaping the blonde's lips despite his initial protests, desperate to stay silent, hoping the silver hair would release him if he acted like he didn't care. Yet he did, and he loved it, he craved for the pleasure given to him by the higher figure, begged in screams within his mind for that spot in his body to be collided with, driving him over the edge of utter euphoria.

His own erection jolted with each thrust, water pouring down his drenched hair and running into his lips, Cloud trying to keep them closed but finding a pair of fingers were simply forced into his opening, holding his teeth apart so he could not silence the strange noises escaping him. He had never made these sounds before, not in either life, and so could hardly believe they were coming from him, but with each movement within his body, causing his stomach to twist and his ancient heart to near break it's way through his chest, Cloud began to realise he was very much broken in by the pleasure. After around ten minutes, having orgasmed once already, he began to cry out openly, not caring if Sephiroth heard him anymore.

"Nhn, n-ah!" he pressed his head against the tiles, his arms shaking, his hips rolled back into the General's waist, trying to fight back to ocean of desire which had began to build within the depths of his groin, his release near.

Sephiroth was no longer the composed, silent being he once was, his mind and body exploding with an unquenchable urge for the boy in his grasp. He thrust into Cloud at a steady pace, increasing when he felt the teenager's muscles inside tighten around his manhood, the primal, carnal desires now fuelling his every movement, from each plunge of his body into the blonde's to the fingers pushing into Cloud's mouth to keep his lips parted, so he would have no choice but to let his cries out. Sephiroth felt the tongue running over his fingers and smirked, knowing full well that despite Cloud's constant refusal and denial of his enjoyment in this, the boy was loving every second of it. The General himself was consumed with pleasure, a low, near silent moan escaping him through ragged breaths, so when the blonde began to shake violently within his clutches, he moved his hand from Cloud's mouth down to the spraying seed escaping the third class, soaking his fingers with the white liquid.

Cloud's eyes widened when the fingers were forced back into his mouth, coated with his own semen, the taste of salted bitterness reluctantly lathering his tongue, the General forcing him to taste himself, to swallow his own cum. He would have choked had it not been for the sudden thrust deeper into him, causing the blonde to inhale sharply and swallow the liquid in his mouth. He coughed harshly, the water running over his face, his eyes held tight shut, the darkness around him burning and freezing all at the once in a tropical monsoon of desire. Cock still twitching as another spurt escaped from him, Cloud had given up, allowing his body's desires, his wicked fascinations, to overtake his thoughts. When he felt the fingernails press into his side, breaking through skin, he cried out. All dignity was lost. All that was left was lust.

Sephiroth continued to hold onto the third class beneath him, ignoring the sound of his cell phone ringing in the other room. He would not give up this moment, he refused to allow Cloud to escape, not until he carved every part of himself into the cetra's mind, make the blonde realise who he now belonged too. As Cloud's fingers began to tear into the tiles, the General moved his arm to Cloud's right, grabbing it and forcing it down onto his own erection. Cloud let out a gasp as he stroked him, at first unwilling, but then intertwined his fingers around the General's and moved with him, meeting each thrust and pumping his need, begging for more.

"Nhn…mo-more!" a tear ran down Cloud's cheek as he found himself pleading for the pleasure to continue, the salt water soon being washed away by the waters spilling down all around him. He had never felt this way, never felt so full, so overwhelming, as though nothing else mattered, nothing but this ever lasting moment. And it was so _good_. So _right_. His voice was breaking into nothing more than incoherent pleads, was that even his own? It sounded like him, yet he had never cried out such words, begged for anything, not even his life in front of friend or foe. He could not quake the pleasure rupturing his solidarity, his very sanity leaving him.

"Don't stop, don't stop…S-Sephi…ahh!"

Driven wild by this sudden change in Cloud's attitude, Sephiroth's eyes widened, his infatuations simply over spilling from the cage he had tried to keep them behind. Yet now, with Cloud crying out to him, begging him to continue, nearly moaning his name… it was too much.

He complied. Faster. Harder. If that was even possible with the current rate he was going. The blood running from the scratches he had caused to Cloud's side, his thighs raw red from the constant pounding of flesh against flesh, the silver haired General could no longer hold himself back. Pulling Cloud up into his arms, he bit down onto the blonde's pale, quivering shoulder, a deep, powerful groan made it's way through his lungs, seed escaping him and filling the boy's portal. Blood ran from the new wound on Cloud's shoulder, semen running from his opening, a mixture of blood, sweat, water and cum ridden across his body.

Slowly moving Cloud to the floor, Sephiroth turned to the controls of his shower, turning off the water and staring down at the blonde, who lay shaking all over by his feet. His eyes were still firmly shut, refusing to look at the General, while his lips were open, panting, tears running down his cheeks. Sephiroth got onto one knee, running his hand over Cloud's cheek, he turned the cetra to him, his eyes slowly opening in a slither of radiating blue, still awash with pleasure.

"Cloud…" he found the boy leaned forward, pressing his lips against his own. Sephiroth responded, kissing the teenager, peeling skin from skin only when Cloud let out a ragged sob.

"Why…?" he shook his head weakly, Sephiroth's hand still on his cheek, "why me…?"

Sephiroth frowned slightly. Why the blonde indeed? He supposed there was only one real answer for that. The way he made his heart pound like no creature before, his mind constantly picturing the blonde in his arms, the rush he received when the metal of their blades collided, how when his lips parted, the General was consumed with desire. Cloud was his infatuations, his only reason to continue on living. And yet he treated him with such cruelty… he turned his eyes away from the cetra, wondering if he could ever forgive him for his behaviour. It was simply how he reacted, the only way he knew how to respond. Anything other than battle he did not care for, it was needless, yet with Cloud…

"It hurts," Cloud murmured, his eyes staring at the General's chest, "I… I don't want this…"

"Cloud…" Sephiroth was suddenly pushed away, Cloud's hands holding him back in tiny fists where the straps he wore for his sword had been before he had ripped them away in a desperate urge to force the blonde to be his.

"Don't…" Cloud had slow tears running down his cheeks, "I wont be yours…I…" he turned his gaze to Sephiroth's, the silver haired staring at Cloud with a strange new feeling inside his chest, "let me go, Sephiroth."

So this was how it felt to be rejected by the one you love. Sephiroth said nothing, pulling his hand away from Cloud's face and backing away, turning and walking out of the tiled room, leaving Cloud to sit there, wracked in agony, truly believing he was nothing to the General but a toy.

A puppet.


	42. Chapter 42

_AN ;; I have been waiting in anticipation since the start of this story to write this chapter. Couple of songs for this chapter. Whilst reading the first part, I recommend listening to 'Listen To The Rain' by Amy Lee. Then the rest is 'Short Hair' from the film Mulan. If you've never watched the film, I seriously recommend it. It is simply beautiful and one of my all time favourites, aside from the Hunchback Of Notre-dame. Anyway, time for chapter forty-two. Do enjoy ~  
_

**CHAPTER FORTY-TWO**

Making their way through the near impenetrable vegetation, the group of men cut through thick, swollen jungle land, untouched by mankind until now. The skies above had darkened considerably, a storm brewing above, thunder echoing across the skies of Gaia. Rain soon began to pour down, crying out in near silence before they hit the ground, shattering into a thousand clear particles. Birds huddled together in the tree canopy above, trying to keep warm beneath water proof feathers, the night drawing on in the jungles of the Gongaga area. Insects chirping loudly all around them, a couple of SOLDIERS began to swat at their skin, trying to kill any mosquito which landed on them, intent on filling it's bowels with their blood. When they came across the first monster, an enlarged frog, Reno had leapt onto it, pretending he could ride it, only to end up turning into a frog himself. Stifling laughter, a third class cast 'Maiden's Kiss' on the TURK, turning him back to his human self. Reno sat on the floor in a crouched position, blinking madly, quite in disbelief of the spell he had been put under, much to the hilarity of the surrounding six men. However, one man did not laugh.

Zack pushed through the tropical forest, refusing to allow nostalgia to creep up on him, determined to make his way to the reactor, with his men in tow or not. The entire four hour boat ride his mind had been torn between two individuals, awash with concern and drowning in anxiety. One on hand, he had Cloud, who he had never seen so openly affected by anyone other than Sephiroth, even swearing at the silver haired General before storming away, the truck starting when Reno took the wheel. He had desperately wanted to go after the blonde, to hold him in his arms, apologise for his stupidity in sleeping with Cissnei, as although Cloud had not questioned this, he could see in his eyes that he knew.

While on the other, his once honourable mentor Angeal was so, so close. He could practically feel the first class' presence, ignoring the men talking behind him, Reno laughing to himself when he nearly tripped over another frog. Zack stopped, lifting his head to stare up into the darkened foliage above. Rain ran down his cheeks and drenched hair, his heart slowing to a calm pace, mako infused eyes widening.

Cloud…

He could picture it clearly now, lying on his back, bullets having penetrated his chest, the blood flowing out into the cold, shadowed puddles all round. The lifestream was showing him how he had died in his previous life, protecting her future champion, holding out his sword to the blonde and breathing raggedly, smiling softly when Cloud stared down at him in horror.

_"My dreams…my honour…they're yours now…"_

He closed his eyes, turning away from the glistening skies above, feeling the man's hand on his shoulder.

"Yo, Zack…you alright, man?" Reno questioned, no longer grinning in his infamous style. He knew that despite Zack's initial agreement to taking the mission, he must be hurting inside, his heart twisting between his loyalty to ShinRa, and his love for Angeal Hewley.

Yet Zack simply nodded, continuing on. He had only one goal in this life, only one purpose to continue existing. To protect Cloud. And if taking Angeal and Genesis down would help keep the blonde safe, he would do it, but not for ShinRa, SOLDIER or himself. For Cloud.

Skidding down the mudslide which had began to build on the slopes of the hill overlooking the abandoned mako reactor, Zack came to a halt at the bottom, his uniform thoroughly soaked through with murk and rainwater. Reno came sliding down behind him, landing on his backside and groaning, complaining that he'd ruined another suit, then was crushed beneath a pile of third class SOLDIERS following down after him. Zack ignored them as they began to argue amongst each other, staring up at the rusting building, water spraying out from the rooftops and down the sides like a rapid waterfall. A few monsters prowled within the darkness of the stairway into the entrance, perking up with alert when they noticed the humans approaching. Zack allowed the other SOLDIERS to deal with them, Reno leaping onto one and slamming his baton down on it's muzzle, the beast whining before turning to run. He did not care for such petty creatures. No. He came for the true monsters, the ones who lay in wait within the reactor.

Kicking open the door with one heavy boot, Zack readied his blade, peering through the blackness of the building's insides. Reno peered over his shoulder, standing on the balls of his feet, smirking slightly. He stopped Zack from moving forward, holding his arm, then bent down, picking up a small rock. Flinging it into the darkness, the pebble landing on the floor before bouncing momentarily, casting a low chime of metal vibrating through the darkness. The facility suddenly came to life, flickering lights turning on and the mechanics springing into work, ploughing down into the planet and draining the lifestream. A low echo made it's way through the building, however when Zack looked at Reno, questioning whether he had also heard the strange noise, the TURK just looked back at him with confusion. Had that been the planet? Crying out in agony when the machines tore into her flesh, stealing the very souls of her existence? Zack noticed a large red button and slammed the side of his fist into it, shutting the reactor down once more, other than the lights. Reno raised an eyebrow but said nothing, the third class men behind them slowly moving behind them, swords drawn, ready for battle.

However the further they made their way through the facility, the more it became apparent that it was indeed abandoned by the hands of man. Not even rats were present within the building, only a few monsters scurrying outside, curious to as why humans had entered their home after so many years of being omnipresent everywhere other than the depths of their jungle. Zack continued moving forward, only stopping when they began to make their way towards the basement. Stopping half way down the stairs, he saw the pools of mako radiating blue within the shadows below. He glanced at Reno, who frowned, pulling out a glow stick from one of the SOLDIER'S backpacks and cracking it, the shining green light blazing through the darkness when he flung it forward. It landed in a pool of mako, simply shining green with blue, but revealing no presences of the commanders, nor the missing ShinRa employees. Zack ran the tip of his blade over the banister to his right, the chemicals splashing across his boots when he finally came to the ground floor.

The basement had been converted into some kind of makeshift laboratory, complete with huge, eight foot tanks filled with mako, wires hanging loose in the liquid as though they had been attached to some kind of creature, grown within the tubs. Reno examined the tables quietly, searching for any evidence of the commanders having been there. They left the third classes by the stairs, the men clearly too scared to go on any further into the abyss before them. But Zackary was not afraid. His twenty year old heart was beating at a steady pace within his body, even when he noticed the single long, black feather gliding down from above, landing in a pool of mako and curling up into nothingness.

Screams echoed through the building. Zack and Reno twisted round, turning to the monster which had began to attack the SOLDIERS, tearing one in half with ease before grabbing another in it's jaws and tossing them into the air, spearing through them with it's tail. Zack raced towards the humanoid creature, the beast glaring down at him, buster sword slicing through it's thigh. The raven head landed, the beast roaring in agony, mako infused blood spilling out from the cut. Reno skidded past the beast, avoiding the slamming of it's tail when it hurtled towards the ground, he turned to the SOLDIERS and checked to see if they were alright, leaving the beast to the second class. Zack narrowed his eyes and slashed his blade again, cutting off the arm of the creature. The amputated limb landed before Reno, slowly morphing back into that of a human arm once the mako began to expel out of it. The arm had been mutilated, morphed to extreme levels, the muscles far too large to be mortally possible. Reno poked it with his baton and more blue gunk poured out onto the floor. He clutched his nose, trying to block out the gruesome smell. But from the state of the arm, he could see the remnants of an once clean, white material, similar to that of the science department uniforms…

"Zack! That thing is Hollander!" the red head shouted to Zack, who was avoiding being punched by the beast. His eyes widening at the realisation that he was fighting the father of Angeal, and once a member of ShinRa, he snarled, cutting his sword down on the fist heading towards him and drawing blood. His blade had began to burn, melting away from the extreme concentrations of the mako acid. With both arms left immobile, the beast came crashing to the floor, landing on it's chest, letting out a low moan. Zack thought he saw the humanity within Hollander's mutated irises and so took a step back, realising he could not kill a fellow human being, no matter how grotesque they had become, but when the tail sliced through the air towards him, he widened his eyes.

Angeal landed before him, cutting open Hollander's throat with one swift cut. The spear like tail pierced through his wing, staining his white feathers red with blood. Zack cried out, Angeal slumping forward slightly, reaching out to the fifth limb and grunting, the cut on his chest infected and pulsating with each beat of his heart. His hair, deep gray with strands of white, near blended into the shadows if it were not for the single green light keeping the darkness at bay, Angeal's ragged breaths echoing through the room. Zack took a step towards him.

"Angeal…"

"Stay back, Zack." Angeal warned, his eyes turning to him, fuelled with contempt for his once student, "I will…kill you…"

"Zack! Do it now! While he's weak!" Reno cried out to him from somewhere close, though he felt far, far away. Zack stared at the man he had considered his father, who was panting for air, near collapsing from agony.

Zack shook his head, beginning to move closer to the man.

"You can barely stand! Let me help you-!"

Angeal's eyes blazed.

"I said stay back!" he threw his wing into the air, slashing forward with the buster sword but stopping when the tip came to Zack's throat. Zack stared down at the broken beast who was once his mentor, holding his own sword in hand, steel meeting steel to create a low hum, Angeal's gaze never parting from his own.

* * *

Cloud pulled himself to his feet, ignoring the numbing pain in his waist and hips. He stumbled out of the tiled room, nearly colliding with the General who was leaning back against the wall just by the shower room, his eyes closed, deep in thought. Cloud shifted past him, searching for his clothes, finding them folded up neatly on the side of a couch. He pulled them back on, though left the scarf upon a pillow, turning to glance at the silver haired man.

Sephiroth continued to appear asleep. Was he really that concentrated on something? Cloud sighed softly, not realising one feline eye was partially opened and watching his every move. Grabbing his sword, Cloud placed it into the straps on his back, the weight nearly causing him to fall onto his knees due to the current lack of control in his waist joints. Biting down on his lip, he figured he should at least say something to the General, who didn't appear to acknowledge his presence.

"I'm leaving…" was that a good way to put it? It was direct and to the point, but it wasn't very…friendly. Then again, Sephiroth wasn't a fucking charity case, considering he'd just pounded him into near oblivion again.

Opening his eyes, the General stared at him. He was wearing nothing but his tight black pants, and despite Masamune being nowhere in sight, Cloud still felt intimidated by this silence. He swallowed, used to having Sephiroth issuing threats or running his blade through his chest. This silver hair, however, seemed to have no intention of either. Cloud began to make his way to the doorway, pulling out his key card. He blinked, finding it did not work. Surely this was the one Reno gave him? He tried again. The door just continued to stay locked. Great. Was he stuck in here with Sephiroth of all people? His body fell into a stunned shock when the General simply leaned over him with one arm, pressing a combination of the number buttons before the door slid open. Cloud blinked, the man pulling away from him. Gaia, why did he want him to touch him so badly? This was not right in the slightest. He simply nodded his response, stepping out of the apartment and into the sixty ninth floor hallway. He glanced at the plant, half expecting it to be in flames, but then realised Genesis had gone AWOL. How had it come to this, with this paradox world near repeating its events in similar ways to his old realm, yet with the General using him as a sex toy? Cloud realised he was still standing numbly in the doorway and turned slightly, noticing Sephiroth was still watching him. He opened his mouth to say something but no words escaped him, as though he had gone mute. He blinked, coughing into a hand, but when Sephiroth raised an eyebrow slightly at this, the hallway lit up red.

The ShinRa facility alarms were ear deafening, mind blowing screams echoing through the building. Cloud groaned audibly. He did not need this right now. Yet by the time he turned to notice if the General was still there, Sephiroth had already pulled on his straps, coat and was reaching for his blade. When he stopped before the blonde, staring down at him, Cloud nodded.

They made their way to the elevator, which at first refused to work, having been disabled by the security systems. However, when Sephiroth put a code into the panel, the metal box began to move. Cloud held back his fury. They'd been locked in an elevator and the General could have made it work at any given time? He seethed to himself, but when Sephiroth received a call, he turned his attentions to the silver haired man by his side.

"The facility is under attack." Sephiroth informed, Cloud's eyes widening.

"What? By who?" he'd made sure Elfé and AVALANCHE were on his side, so it could not be them. Unless the woman had turned on him, sick of waiting for his orders. Yet this was not her style. Elfé would have infiltrated her men into the building, rather than attack from upfront. No, this was someone else, something else. But who else had an army powerful enough to attack the main ShinRa building?

"They did not say."

When the elevator came to a halt on the twentieth floor, the two rushed down the stairs, Cloud sliding down the banister and landing with ease. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at this, the blonde knowing exactly which routes to take around the facility to avoid the crowds. How long had Cloud studied this structure to know all these routes? Yet he said nothing, staying silent other than the sound of his boots hitting upon metal and concrete, the two skidding to a halt in the main entrance hall. ShinRa employees were laid face down, covered in a strange, horrific black coating, the doorway on fire, burning into the ceiling above as the flames roared out, demanding to be fuelled with more power. Cloud used his ice materia to shield himself from the flames, cutting through the blazing veil and leaping out onto the top of the stairs outside, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Surrounding the facility were around four hundred Genesis clones wearing SOLDIER registered armour, guns and swords drawn, directed towards the blonde. Sephiroth stepped out of the flames, unaffected in the slightest, drawing Masamune in his hands. The two SOLDIERS stood side by side; third class and General of the armies themselves. Cloud glanced at the silver hair, finding it strange to be on the same side as Sephiroth for the first time in many decades. The General simply smiled softly, feeling Cloud's stare on him.

"Orders, sir?" Cloud questioned, tilting his head slightly, buster sword twisting in his hand, ready for battle.

"Cut them down. Do not leave a single one alive." wow, he already was a bit of a sociopath; not that that was not painfully obvious. Yet Cloud could work with that. He inhaled, the memories of his battles in his past life - from Kadaj and the Jenova clones, to his very first battle against Sephiroth within the Nibelheim reactor - he would require all of his experience to survive this. He rushed forward.

Meeting each attacker, Cloud cut the Genesis clones down with his buster sword, twisting and meeting blades, then flesh, avoiding the bullets hurtling towards him, boots crunching down on the shattered glass beneath him. Blood spraying across his face, the blonde rushed forward, performing a limit break, cutting upward and sending a group of clones through the air, to which he leapt after them, slamming his sword down and throwing them to the ground in a bloodied mess of limbs and organs. Sephiroth glided past him, the song of Masamune echoing through the night air, snowflakes landing on the blade before it stained crimson, slicing through the clones as though they were nothing but water. Perfectly composed, feline eyes hardened from years of tearing apart enemies in the name of ShinRa, the General was terrifying in battle. Cloud landed against his back behind him, Sephiroth blinking. He had never fought side by side with anyone other than Genesis and Angeal, but to have Cloud by his side felt exhilarating. Empowering. Breathtaking. A small smirk made it's way across once tightly shut lips, blood trailing over them. He jolted forward.

Cloud swept his blade through the concrete below him, slashing upward into an approaching machine, cutting it in half. The explosion sent clones flying through the air, flames bellowing from the broken machine that Cloud leapt up onto, standing and looking around for the crimson commander himself. He found that, although he was surrounded by Genesis, none were the real being. The blonde scowled, turning and spinning his sword at an oncoming assault of dozens of bullets. He deflected them with ease, the men soon being cut in half by the General's blade. Cloud simply nodded to the smirking silver hair. Fighting side by side with the General who had tried to destroy his world should have felt wrong, felt disgusting, yet it did not. It felt _right_. The two perfectly in sync with their attacks, it was as though they were not complete in battle unless together, a team of gold and silver. Cloud's heart was pounding, but not from the battle, he had grown immune to those. He was excited, craving the feel of having Sephiroth by his side for the first time in so long, but this time, he was not simply a member of the standard army, watching the battles from the side line. He was a hero, a beast of war, just like the silver General himself. Examining how many enemies they had left to defeat, Cloud found that around a third of the clones had already been torn through by the General's blade, while he had not done too badly himself, his body stained scarlet from gore. But when he felt the sudden shift in the atmosphere, Cloud's mako infused eyes widened.

The summon swooped down from the darkened skies above, flames pouring in it's wake, it landed on it's huge, blackened hooves before letting out a hideous, Gaia shaking roar. Ifrit stood awaiting command, examining the armies around it before turning to the gold and silver haired SOLDIERS, Aztec gold eyes narrowing, horns raking through the ground in a bull like fashion as it roared again, setting it's sights on the two. Cloud did not wait. He rushed forward at full speed, as fast as his legs could carry him while wielding the huge buster sword in his hands, he leapt over the summon's fist when it crashed down upon him, trying to crush him, slashing downward with his blade and colliding with Ifrit's horns, taking one off in a ragged cut, before falling forward and landing on one knee, turning his gaze back to the beast. The summon snarled at the wound on it's body before turning to Cloud, slamming a hoof down towards him. Yet Sephiroth was there, slashing to the side, sending a strike of blue power into Ifrit's foot and throwing it onto it's back. Cloud pulled himself up, the General refusing to move from his defensive stance over the blonde. Cloud chose to thank the General later, instead running past him again, moving to the side of the fallen summon. Ifrit's eyes blazing with fury, the summon pulled itself up with ease, staring down at the silver haired General who appeared to insignificant and small to the beast. Yet as a hand moved towards the man, Cloud's sword cut through the summon's side, the blonde running across the wall of a building. Turning to grab the boy, Sephiroth took the creature's sudden turn of attention as a moment to strike, casting a flurry of lightning bolts down onto the beast. Ifrit ignored the electrical burns to it's back and caught Cloud's foot as he tried to roll out of the way, pulling him back and holding him in the air, intent on swallowing the teenager whole into the depths of it's flaming bowls. Cloud twisted, slashing his blade through the summon's hand just below it's chains, causing the beast to drop him. Falling through the air, Cloud steadied himself and slashed thrice, sending dark grey strikes of power through the air, hitting Ifrit's other horn and causing it to shatter.

The summon fell to it's side, Cloud finding he was still very much in mid air and hurtling towards the ground. Fast. He turned, spinning his sword around until it collided with a building, sliding down. He held onto the pommel, pulling the blade away when he was around ten feet from the ground and landing on his feet. As the summon began to pull itself back up, Sephiroth was already there. The General was in midair, gliding towards the beast with his black coat causing a blur of darkness and silver, before his sword drove it's way into Ifrit's spine. The creature pulled back, roaring loudly and releasing a blaze of flames from it's jaws, turning and setting fire to the ground all around it. Cloud cast ice, creating a shield of glistening white, staying there until the flames passed, the materia cast spell melting away in the fires. He ran forward again, rolling out of the way of more flames spewing from Ifrit's jaws and casting the time materia, slowing the battle to a near halt. He leapt into the air, eyes blazing with mako enforced power, his cetra blood boiling in his near ancient veins. The buster sword drove into the beast's skull, ending the battle. Cloud pulled out as the molten lava poured out of the wound he had caused, leaping back through the air, twisting as he landed. Sephiroth had also moved, running down the beast's back, his sword cutting through the summon, tearing it clean in two. Ifrit let out one last hideous roar before exploding in a mess of flames and blood, Cloud turning his eyes to the General. If that lava blood hit him, he would be scarred, or worse. The blonde rushed forward, time slowing again, then cast a shield of ice in front of the General, Cloud skidding to a halt in front of him, sword still drawn and radiating a light green from the use of the materia. When the shield began to melt, he found Sephiroth casting barrier to double their defences until the flames began to recede.

When the ice moved away from before them, the summon was gone, disintegrated back into the materia from which it had been cast. Cloud looked around but found the remaining Genesis clones were quickly hacked down by a combination of SOLDIERS and TURKS, the ShinRa troops moving in to dispatch of any remaining enemies. Sephiroth was silent, Cloud looking around for the real Genesis but finding the crimson commander was still nowhere in sight. He felt the General's cold gaze on him, sending chills down his spine, and turned.

Sephiroth held his breath as he examined the third class before him. His pale skin was stained with splatters of dark scarlet blood, golden hair rippling in the winter winds. The look of utter, unbroken confidence upon his features, his lips set in a heavy, thin line, while his eyes radiated an ancient knowledge so typical of the cetra race….gods above, he was stunning. Cloud sheathed his weapon, awaiting orders. Sephiroth mused to himself that if he had not been so attracted to the boy, Cloud could have made the perfect SOLDIER. Yet he loved Cloud, and so the boy could never, would never make it to first class. The General would never allow Cloud to be harmed in any way, other than by his own cruel perversions. And if that meant holding Cloud back as a third class for the rest of his life, then so be it. He would not lose the one person who had meant so much to him, who held his infatuations, his desires, and his heart.

* * *

A soft purr escaped the crimson commander as he watched the battle below. His legs, hung over the side of a building, swung softly in the cold winter air, a few flakes of snow falling down onto his cherished first edition copy of the poem Loveless. They melted away near instantly, the constant fires of Genesis Rhapsodos still burning on despite his current degradation. His wing hung over him like a dark cape, shielding the crimson commander from the gusts of power which radiated from below, the once red head simply awaiting for his armies to break through. Yet Sephiroth had cut them down, of course. He would have to get Hollander to create more clones, much more enhanced beings, if he wanted to keep Sephiroth distracted while he broke into the science department to search for his DNA. When the summon he had cast was defeated, he frowned, wondering who had destroyed his Ifrit. Noticing the blonde and silver men below, his eyes widened partially. So Sephiroth had finally taken the boy as his own? This was most certainly interesting…and useful…

"Dreams of morrow hath the shattered soul…" he murmured, a hysterical laugh escaping him until he managed to pull the noise back in, driven mad with hatred for the world and for ShinRa, "pride…is lost…" he spread out his deformed wing, putting the summon materia back into his pocket, "wings, stripped away…" standing, he watched the way Sephiroth stared at the boy, deciding on his final plan, the one which would either give him and Angeal the means to curing themselves of their illness, or finish them forever, "the end…is nigh…"

_AN ;; hope I could make that as epic as humanly possible ;_; Took me three hours to write, haha...ok it's slightly longer than my other chapters, but still :P do enjoy, do review, do love ;D ~ Nightfall_


	43. Chapter 43

**CHAPTER FORTY-THREE**

"Why did you leave us!? Why did you leave, Angeal!?"

Angeal lay slumped towards the floor on one knee, still gasping for air. He could hear the faint sound of the rain hurtling down against the walls of the metal structure, beginning the flood the building, slowly pouring down into the basement where he leant. His wings bleeding, pain pounding through him with each weakened beat of his heart, the once honourable commander of SOLDIER could not reply, his mouth too dry, eyelids slowly closing together, but he refused to die. Not yet. Not without Genesis by his side, his beloved. He pulled his head up slightly, staring at his old apprentice. Zack had become hardened by rage, the constant rejections his once kind, loving mentor had put him through. Angeal had turned him into nothing more than a weapon for ShinRa. His honour, lost. His powers, gone. He was nothing but a collapsed corpse, struggling for oxygen to fill his beaten lungs. Yet while he waited for Zack's blade to cut through him, to end his suffering, the raven head could not move, paralysed in place from seeing Angeal on his knees.

Zack's eyes wavering, he held his weapon in hand, ready to put Angeal down. He had been told to keep him alive, for them to bring the ex commander back to ShinRa to be used as an experimental specimen in the science department. Yet he could not allow that, never would he give up Angeal to the madmen of ShinRa. But if he refused to carry out the mission, he would be brought forward to the President himself, and most likely shot for being a traitor. Torn between two loyalties, Zack shook his head.

"Angeal…why?"

His old mentor turned his sapphire gaze away from him, realising Zack was not going to end his misery. He tried to pull himself up, buster sword acting as some kind of leverage to push his degrading body up, feathered wings trembling, blood running down them onto the floor around him, turning to ash as soon as it came into contact with the concrete ground.

"I am a monster, Zack…" when Zack did not reply, Angeal let draw a soft breath, "monsters…have no honour…"

"You're not a monster!" Zack shook his head, "there's a cure, Angeal! The S cells, they can help-!"

"Hollander…already mentioned as such," the first class ignored the mako burning his hands and legs from where he knelt, drained of all his powers, unable to stand, "Genesis left to attain some from the General himself…"

"Genesis…is at the main facility?" Zack's eyes widened. Cloud was there. He'd left Cloud to the crimson commander's wrath, "Angeal, he'll kill them all!"

"I know."

Zack's eyes blazed with fury. What had become of the honourable commander he had once been proud to call his mentor, his father figure? The grey head on his knees before him, his body pleading to be put out of it's misery, to be cut down with the buster sword Zack had taken from training room forty nine, was not the same man he had grown up beside from his sixteenth birthday, to his twenty first year, which was in two days time. No, this was no longer Angeal, he was a remnant, a hollow shell, beaten down by the cruel world ran by President ShinRa. But Zack, however pitiful Angeal had become, could not harm his once friend, nor would he allow the science department to take Angeal to use as an experiment, little more than a laboratory rat; his humanity ignored, his mortality forgotten. No. Never would he allow that. Not even to Genesis Rhapsodos, his worst enemy. He had to get back to Cloud, had to make sure he was alright, that he was unharmed from the crimson commander's flames. But if Genesis hurt Cloud...

"Go…"

Angeal's cerulean gaze moved from where he had turned away, ashamed, directing back to his old apprentice's stare down onto him. Zack appeared emotionless, other than the single tear breaking through his resolve, running down his sweat stained face and landing on the hilt of his sword. It was as though the twenty year old had completely shut down, no longer caring for his old mentor, ignoring the very humanity that made Zackary Fair who he was.

"…What?"

"Just go, Angeal. Leave. Fly far, far away, and never come back." Angeal managed to struggle onto one leg, wings still shuddering from the pain, he moved his beloved buster sword away from Zack's throat, the raven head unmoving.

"Why…?"

Zack's eyes were hardened with a sheen of indifference, despite another droplet of salt water escaping his parted eyelids, trailing over an ink black lash before falling to it's doom on the mako spilled, concrete flooring below.

"I can't kill you, Angeal…" he turned his head away, refusing to look at his once honourable friend, his ex mentor, "I can only offer you the chance to go, fly away…" die from your wounds, not my blade, Zack thought, but could not force the words through his lips, "never come back…" I never want to see you again.

Angeal's eyes narrowed. He refused to die like a beaten dog. Slashing his blade with one last spout of strength, the buster sword ran through Zack's flesh, cutting into his cheek and drawing blood. Zack did not move, simply allowing the wound to be placed upon him, leaving what would become a deep scar upon his left cheek. He turned his cold irises to the degrading beast before him, panting loudly.

"Do it!" Angeal near begged, "damn you Zack, just kill me!" his own eyes had began to water. Never had he been put into this situation, this position of degradation and loss of complete and all dignity. Yet he could not go on suffering like this, not when he had the chance to die by his apprentice's blade. No, he wanted Zack to continue on for him, to carry on his legacy, his buster sword. He would wait for Genesis in the lifestream, the crimson commander being his one true love. The holder of his heart.

"No." Zack turned, not even sparing a glance back at Angeal. He made his way past the gathered wounded SOLDIERS, the red head TURK staring at him in disbelief.

"What are you doing!?" Reno near screamed, leaping to his feet and throwing an arm to the side, "he let Tseng die! He's a traitor to ShinRa, to you! You can't just let him live!"

"He wont," Zack murmured, taking his first step onto the flooded stairwell, "he will die from his degradation soon enough. I refuse to take Angeal's life. Not for ShinRa, not for Tseng. No one."

"You're helping him, aren't you?! Treacherous bastard!" Reno ran towards him, letting out an outraged yell. Zack simply twisted round, kicking the TURK square in his chest and throwing him back onto the floor, landing in the foot depth of rainwater.

The second class SOLDIER turned his gaze to Angeal, who's wings were now spread, a look of forgiveness in his eyes. Zack simply nodded to the grey hair, then Angeal leapt into the air, flying up through the ceiling itself, leaving a trail of white, blood stained feathers and falling rubble in his wake.

* * *

Collapsing onto his bed, Cloud Strife let out a long exhale, his breathing still ragged as he tried to fill his lungs with oxygen. Having defended the facility from the Genesis clones, he had been dismissed by Lazard, leaving the SOLDIERS and TURKS outside to clean up the mess of genetically mutated bodies. Cloud himself felt like a corpse, having drained his energy sources from using his materia and fighting with the summon Ifrit. Sephiroth had been a constant companion by his side during the battle, defending him from the fire summon, much to the blonde's disbelief. He knew this was not the same Sephiroth as the maddened one winged angel from his own world, yet the man was still a sociopath, forcing him to his knees to perform fellatio on him and knocking him down onto his back and penetrating him despite his protests. Though Cloud did not feel physically hurt after the acts, his heart was in agony. He did not know how he felt towards the silver hair, but time after time of being used as a simple sex toy was beginning to break him down. He had never wanted Sephiroth's attentions, though he secretly craved them in both his past life as a cadet, and somewhat now in this new world. However he was not some plaything to be used whenever the General felt an urge. No way on Gaia would he ever become something as feeble and weak as a slut of the Don's whorehouse.

Yet Cloud found that although he did mind being used, he was hopeful he was more to the General than just a bitch in heat. He sighed softly, noticing the look on Corporeal Riley's face as he passed by his room.

"Riley…?" Cloud pulled himself up, the third class stopping in the hallway, his entire body trembling, "are you ok? what's wrong…?"

"I-I'm f-fine…C-Cloud…" Riley turned to him, giving him a shaky smile before taking a few steps back, "I-I'll j-just be g-going…" his skin was as white as milk, eyes widened into orbs of pure terror. He turned and began to briskly walk out of the apartment, near appearing to float across the floor when he held back his run.

Cloud frowned. What had spooked the Corporeal so much that he had flown from the room like he was being chased by a nibel wolf? He followed Riley's trial towards the door, only stopping when he heard footsteps behind him, a blade gliding across the arm of one of the couches, fabric tearing beneath the burning steel before it came to a halt. The powerful presence awaiting for the blonde to turn and face him, Cloud wondered if he should try to escape the apartment as Riley had done, but he knew that would be near impossible. He turned slowly, weary sapphire eyes locking onto the intruder, his lips staying in a firm, composed line.

"Infinite in mystery, is the gift of the Goddess…" Genesis began to purr with delight when Cloud turned to him, having ran his materia blade across the sofa to draw his attention to him, nearly cutting through the Corporeal if he had not gained amusement from the SOLDIER as he stared at him in absolute terror before fetching the blonde for him then fleeing, "we seek it thus, and take to the sky…"

Cloud said nothing, staring at the crimson commander with a hardened gaze. He was not afraid of Genesis, knowing he could defeat the man with ease. However, why the degrading man was in his apartment he had no idea. Had he been here the whole time? No, the blonde would have sensed his presence when he arrived back from battling the clone army outside. Was Genesis using the apartment as a hide out, as cover? Yet he had chosen to reveal himself to Cloud, along with terrorising Riley in the process.

"What are you doing here?" the third class questioned his once superior officer, Genesis moving forward and taking a seat on the arm of the couch, his white hair glistening beneath the artificial lights of the living area.

"Do I need a reason to visit my young friend?" Genesis remarked in a playful snicker, his wing curled into a tight black network of feathers and blood behind him, trailing the scarlet liquid in his wake, close to death.

"Cut the crap, Genesis." Cloud's eyes narrowed, "what do you want?"

Genesis tilted his head back, staring up at the ceiling above, contemplating whether he should set the room ablaze to end Cloud's life right there, or carry on the game. The crimson commander did not want to die, but what choice did he have? His body was near weakened to a pile of quaking bones and shivering flesh, while his mind had rotted from insanity, the G cells within him tearing his brain apart piece by piece.

"There is no hate, only joy…for _you_…are beloved by the Goddess…" mako infused irises turned to Cloud, glistening with mischief.

The blonde openly frowned at this.

"What do you mean?"

"Sephiroth has seemed to take a liking in you, my dear little chocobo…" the colour draining from Cloud's face, Genesis simply confirmed his suspicions, the two were very much romantically involved, "do you deny this…?" deny it, Genesis mused. Let me pick apart your resolve one strand at a time until the fabric is nothing more than a carpet of torn shreds, awaiting my fires.

"What do you want?" Cloud repeated. He did not care if Genesis knew of the General's obsession with him. Genesis was an enemy of ShinRa, a being that had died before he and Zack had become experiments in Hojo's capture for four years. Yet…he wanted to save them all; even this mad man before him. He had a suspicion he knew exactly what the crimson commander desired of him.

Genesis got to his feet, approaching the blonde, who refused to step back. So fearless, so stubborn. Just like Sephiroth. Genesis leaned into the smaller male, a hand running down his back while the other gripped down on Cloud's hair, holding him in place. A finger skimmed past his uniform pants and rested against his opening, Cloud's eyes widening. Genesis simply let draw a low sigh, grabbing the blonde and pushing him against the wall, lips catching with the boy's and biting down, eliciting a sharp hiss from the third class. His finger easily penetrated the boy, validating to Genesis that the boy was no longer a virgin, the General had began to take him as his own. He dropped Cloud to the floor, the blonde staring up at him with rage, clearly sick of being toyed around like a sex doll.

"What I want, Cloud…" Genesis ran his sword across the floor, stopping at the boy's throat and lifting his head to face him, "is Sephiroth's very cells…"

"What?" Cloud faked ignorance, knowing full well that Sephiroth's S cells would be the cure for the two commanders, but if he openly showed his knowing of this information, Genesis would likely cut him in half right there.

"His cells, you stupid boy!" Genesis' eyes narrowed into sharp blue slits, the tip of his blade pressing against Cloud's skin, nearly penetrating the jugular, "his hair, his blood, his cum…" when Cloud's eyes widened at this, Genesis let out a throaty purr, "yes, Cloud…I know now that he uses you, so getting me the cells should be no hard task for you…"

"Why can't you do it?!" Cloud snapped, despite the blood beginning to run over the crimson commander's blade from the small wound developing within his flesh, near piercing into his throat.

"Sephiroth would likely kill me on sight," Genesis informed, amusement clear in his eyes and on the feral smirk building upon his lips, "however, you are his puppet, his toy…let him have you, then bring your tight little ass to me and I will extract the cells…"

Genesis was mad. Cloud slumped forward slightly when the white hair pulled away from him, the commander continuing to quote his beloved poem.

"My friend, your desire…is the bringer of life, the gift, of the Goddess!" he turned back to Cloud, sneering, "I will find you in sector eight tonight. I expect you to have the S cells either on you, or _within_ you…" he added as he approached the doorway, sword still drawn, "Oh, and Cloud… if you try and run from me, or tell Sephiroth of this deal, I will send you screaming into the pits of hell…"

* * *

The silver General lay on one of the couches in his apartment, staring blankly at the television screen. He never watched the broadcasts of President ShinRa, nor the entertainment shows provided on air all twenty four hours long. Yet for some reason he felt…empty. Despite battling beside the blonde he was so infatuated with, to hear Cloud refusing him after the hours of passion they had spent within each other's arms, first on the floor of the apartment, and then in the showering room, pained him. It was unlike any feeling he had felt before, rejection. He did not appreciate it in the slightest. Having returned to the sixty ninth floor after battle, deciding he would inform the SOLDIER Director of the details at a later time, Sephiroth had cleaned Masamune with expert precision, but during wiping the blood from his blade, the thought of Cloud's hatred, of the utter disgust the blonde showed towards his adoration for him, caused his grip to slip, cutting into the palm of one hand in the process. Sephiroth stared at the crimson liquid within his clutches, then audibly sighed. Wrapping a small bandage around the wound, he stopped abruptly, hearing a tiny, near silent knock on the door. Who would be mad enough to approach his apartment at this hour in search for the General, other than Genesis Rhapsodos? Yet the crimson commander had gone AWOL, and despite the duplicates of the crimson commander gathered around in body bags outside, it was unlikely to be the commander himself, nor one of his creations. Moving towards the door, he unlocked it, the metal sliding open to reveal Cloud Strife stood awaiting. Sephiroth did not adjust his cold, sombre features in the slightest, however he was wondering internally why the blonde was here, after making it perfectly clear of his contempt towards him. Moving to the side, Sephiroth allowed the spiky gold hairs to pass under his arm, Cloud stopping when he was stood midway from the door and the hallway leading to the bedroom, halted within the middle of the apartment.

His full, plump pink lips parted slightly, before Cloud seemed to swallow. Sephiroth nearly frowned, though kept his composure. What was it that the blonde was struggling so hard to say? Had he arrived to slander the silver hair some more? Yet Cloud did not seem angry, more, he radiated an aura of…confusion.

"I…" Cloud found himself stuttering before the sharp feline slits of the General. He did not want to use his own body as a weapon, as leverage, yet it was his only way of saving Genesis, and Zack's beloved mentor, Angeal… "I…" he looked away, swallowing back the feeling of disgust inside him. Stepping forward, he pushed up on the balls of his feet and wrapped his arms around the General's neck, pressing his lips against the silver hair's.

Sephiroth instantly responded. Cloud found he was pulled up and thrown against the door itself, his lips pulled apart and hungrily devoured, tongue making it's way into his mouth and stroking his insides, caressing over tooth and gum. Cloud's eyes widened when he was pulled down to the floor, his shirt ripped open, nipples being tweaked with sharp, cold fingers. He tried to pull away, torn between his instincts to run from the sociopath and to give himself willingly as prey to his hunter, yet he found his arms were simply captured, Sephiroth holding them over his head with one hand, leaning into his chest and biting down on a nipple. Cloud let out a cry, his body shaking all over when his trousers were yanked down from his waist with the General's free hand, stroking his already weeping erection. Cloud was trapped, forced into the pleasure, yet as he struggled, he thought of Genesis, of Angeal, of Zack…

Sephiroth moved from him slightly, wondering whether the blonde was actually enjoying this from the way his entire being was trembling with terror, when Cloud pressed against him, refusing to let him go, his fingers digging into Sephiroth's hair and tugging hard. The General's eyes narrowed into blackened slits, fuelled by the urge to dominate the boy who was showing such lack of respect towards him, a complete disregard that the General was his superior, as though he thought him simply as human…

Cloud was thrown onto his back, eyes widened with fear when the General pulled out his own demanding manhood, pressing up against his opening, ready to penetrate. He squirmed away, Sephiroth turning his gaze back to his face as Cloud sat up, slouching forward.

"No…" he murmured, the General blinking once when Cloud pressed his lips down onto the tip of the pale erection, then began to suck. If he was going to go through with this, he wanted it to hurt as little as possible. Maybe he would even be able to make Sephiroth orgasm just from the act of oral, saving him from his dignity being torn through a third time. He knew that was just wishful thinking, as after a few minutes, the General tugged his head away from the cock, fingers entwined within golden locks to hold Cloud, he turned the boy onto his front. Cloud felt a tear escaping him when his rectum was pushed open, then pushed into with the full length of Sephiroth's erection, and despite it being wet from his saliva, it still tore through his aching muscles. He tried to relax, desperately willed his body to give in, yet he could not as Sephiroth began to thrust into him, a hand still holding his head down towards the floor. Cloud held back a sob, knowing that the General did not know of his agony, and so was at no fault in this, but when he felt his own erection being tenderly caressed, a ragged moan escaped him.

Sephiroth could see Cloud was in pain and tried to consolidate him, comfort him, stroking the boy's erection and waiting for the blonde to relax beneath him. His muscles were too tight around him for Cloud to be enjoying this, and so he waited patiently for Cloud's peak, the boy soon cumming hard into his hand, body twitching beneath him. The General did not move, hearing a quietened murmur come from the third class. He did not want this. Cloud was far too precious to hurt simply for his own gratification. Pulling out, Cloud's body slumped to the floor, unmoving, blood staining his opening.

"Cloud…" Sephiroth ran a hand over the sixteen year old's cheek, lifting his head to stare at the tearful eyes. He pulled the naked boy into his arms, allowing Cloud to break into sobs on his shoulder. Was what they shared, the act of sex, really that disgusting? Was it not pleasurable? Yet the way Cloud continued to cry softly on his leather jacket simply made the General feel terrible. Wait… he felt…bad? He had never felt guilt for harming another before, not even when he would roughly throw a drunken Genesis off him onto the floor. But seeing Cloud like this… broke his very heart.

"Cloud, did I hurt you…?" he waited for the response, Cloud shuffling back from him, running a hand over his face, dark red folds of skin developing beneath his optics. Cloud really was still a child… a child in a world of mako and war.

"No…" Cloud murmured, knowing he was lying. Yet the physical pain was not what hurt him the most. Knowing he was only throwing himself onto the General for the sake of Genesis' life, of Angeal's life… he loved Sephiroth too much to use him like that. Cloud's eyes widened at this thought. He…loved…Sephiroth? Staring at the General, who was clearly distressed at the sight of Cloud in such a predicament, despite his stoic features, his eyes telling the story plain and clear, Cloud found himself spilling, telling the General everything.

From Genesis' plan, to the very means of his creation…


	44. Chapter 44

_AN ;; Whelp. Cloud, should you really tell Sephiroth about his true birth, of your real identity? Things could descend into madness quickly if you're not careful... _

**CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR**

"...I see."

Cloud was silent. There was nothing he could attempt to get out of the current situation he had placed himself within. The salted tears now evaporated from his pale cheeks, he sat on the opposite sofa from the silver General within his apartment on the sixty ninth floor, having just spilled out his entire life story and all the secrets he had been carrying on his shoulders the entire time he had been in contact with the General. Sephiroth was staring at him with his usual calm, stoic expression, though his eyes were narrowed into sharpened slits, as though he was…annoyed.

"So the creature in Hojo's laboratory, the one you call 'Nanaki', and the head of Urban Development, Reeve Tuesti, were both members of your old… team?" Sephiroth repeated some of what Cloud had told him. The blonde nodded weakly, wrapped up in a blanket the General had brought through to him before he had sat down and gave up lying. There was only one thing he did not mention to the silver hair, something he would never allow to pass through his lips - his unquenchable, irrevocable love for Sephiroth.

"And I was created…as you say, from the remnants of a primordial alien known as Jenova?" now Sephiroth's distrust was obvious. But who would believe such things, even from the one you were in love with? These claims were completely and utterly ridiculous, inconceivable to the mind of a sane human being. Yet the blonde did not appear to be maddened in the same way Genesis Rhapsodos had become after being rejected at first by the now ex honourable commander Angeal Hewley. His eyes certainly appeared aged considerably compared to the rest of the boy's body, as though he had indeed seen the hundreds of battles, centuries of years of pain, that he claimed to have endured.

"Yes…" Cloud murmured, feeling rather pathetic. One moment he had been on his fours being thrust into by the General for the sake of gaining cells for the crimson commander's life force to be restored, and the next he was openly sobbing into the man's arms before flooding him with the history of his past world. However, Cloud could only return the memories of his previous realm to those who had been in his team, and so trying to explain to the silver General was no easy task - not that he had expected it to be, yet the way Sephiroth was glaring at him, he was positive the man had snapped. He did not have his buster sword in hand, or anywhere close by, having left it on the third floor in his apartment. Raking through his mind to derive possible escape routes, the General continued.

"You understand, Cloud, that from hearing these claims, it is logically accurate for me to question your sanity?"

Cloud swallowed bile back down his throat, feeling sick. Should he be grateful that Sephiroth did not believe him? Could he play it off, for the sake of the man's sanity and fate of this planet should the General lose his mind again? Yet the way Sephiroth continued to glower at him from across the room, only around six feet from him, made Cloud sit perfectly still, his resolve decided.

"Yes…"

Sephiroth leaned back into the couch slightly. This was certainly a situation he had not predicted. When the blonde had arrived at his door, then practically begged for him to make love to him, only to collapse in a heap of mucus and tears, Sephiroth had at first thought he had broken the boy's hips with his inhuman strength. But as soon as the claims started spilling out of Cloud's lips; how he was created from a creature known as 'Jenova', rather than being born as a cetra as he had at first thought, had been taught from his father, Hojo, and all those whom he asked, to the idea that when he had discovered of his true identity in this…paradox world, as Cloud claimed it to be, he had gone mad and tried to destroy the planet, to combine with the lifestream to become a god? He audibly sighed.

"Cloud…" placing a hand on his head, he ran his fingers through his air. This was entirely implausible, preposterous, illogical, yet the way Cloud continued to stare at him, as though examining his every movement, the spike of terror clear in his eyes, Sephiroth found himself…believing. "How?"

"I was sent back," Cloud murmured, tightening the blanket around him, "the lifestream…made me a cetra, one of her champions…" he shook his head, "I didn't ask for this. I didn't want to keep fighting, for the pain to continue…"

"And Zackary knew of this?"

"Yes…"

Of course Zack Fair knew. The two SOLDIERS were practically joined at the hip when they were together. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at the thought of the raven head knowing of Cloud's suffering, of his terror towards him, yet said nothing, leaving the General in the dark, despite his heavy involvement in Cloud's past. Yet Cloud had told him he had tried to kill him…? Sephiroth could not fathom himself harming the blonde in any way. Yet they had not been lovers, nor friends, nor even acquaintances, in the paradox world Cloud was claiming to have come from. He had no feeling towards the endless men he had run Masamune through, their blood staining his blade, his armour, his skin. He did not hear their dying screams at night as he slept, nor did they haunt his every waking moment. However, he had heard one voice…

"This creature, Jenova…" Sephiroth watched as Cloud did not blink, staring at him with an endless array of sapphire irises, still tinted with waters as he threatened to break down again, despite the look of indifference he was trying to portray the mask upon his face into, "she tried to destroy the cetra race?"

"Yes. The cetra banded together, using the last of their powers to seal her away in North Crater, for two thousand years she was left there, forgotten by people, us…" Cloud shook his head, "but the planet remembered. The lifestream remembered. When Jenova was found by ShinRa, she was taken to Mt. Nibel, although most of the experiments took place in Nibelheim…" the blonde noticed the General's eyes widen a fraction, remembering that Nibelheim was Cloud's hometown, "you, Angeal, and Genesis were all created from her cells, however, Angeal and Genesis did not fully accept the cells…"

"Which has led to their bodies now degrading?" the General watched as Cloud simply nodded, "I see."

"They need your cells to survive…" Cloud explained, "anything from a drop of blood, to a hair follicle. Genesis said-"

"You have been in contact with Genesis since his abandonment of SOLDIER?" Sephiroth could not hide the scowl building on his features. That meant the crimson commander had been near Cloud, without him being present. What the insane Genesis Rhapsodos could have done to Cloud…

"Yes." Cloud realised he was going to have to explain the crimson commander's demand, despite telling him that if he repeated it to Sephiroth, he would burn him alive, "he…wanted me too…"

"You gave yourself to me in the hopes of attaining my cells?" Sephiroth finished for him. He was now openly furious with Cloud. How dare the blonde use himself as a tool for Genesis Rhapsodos of all people. Yet Cloud had not continued, breaking down and explaining everything to him. Sephiroth found his eyes softening slightly. Cloud had chose not to deceive him, unlike his father, the scientists, and every single person he had met who knew the true origins of his existence.

"I…couldn't." the third class conceded, his gaze lowering, "all your life, you've been used…I…didn't want to do that…"

Sephiroth nearly raised an eyebrow. Cloud cared for his feelings? He already knew he had been used as a mere weapon for the ShinRa company since he had first become a SOLDIER, and before that as an experiment sample for his maddened father. Yet he could not even believe himself when the next words escaped his lips.

"Anyone would think you were in love with me, Cloud."

Cloud's eyes shot up from the floor, staring at the silver haired General who had produced the statement with such characteristic indifference. Did he love, truly love Sephiroth? He knew the answer inside his heart, the organ pounding in his chest at a thousand beats per second, begging him to tell Sephiroth the truth. Yet his mind screamed at him to be rational - the man could turn on him at any second, his sanity shattered from receiving this classified information. This was after all the same man whom he had spent years fighting, who had tried to kill him numerous times and had killed his beloved Aeris. Cloud turned his gaze away, staring at a wall rather than the General.

"I…don't know." he replied simply, his voice low, a near whisper.

Sephiroth near hummed at this response. Cloud was now masochistic, a liar, and buried deep in denial. Yet he would leave that for now, instead redirecting the conversation back to the means of his creation.

"You said I was merely injected with the Jenova cells," the General questioned, "yet you did not say who my true mother is, nor of her current whereabouts."

Cloud blinked. Vincent Valentine's lover, Lucrecia Crescent. He did not know what had become of her after she had given birth to Sephiroth, a combination of the mad professor Hojo's seed and Jenova's very cells, only that she was in the Crystal Cave far from where they were currently sat. But Sephiroth had the right to know what he had never been told of in either of the worlds. He could change that, give the silver hair something to fight for.

"Her name was Lucrecia. Lucrecia Crescent. She was a scientist here, at the Midgar facility. When you were conceived, she offered herself to Hojo, allowing the Jenova cells to be infused within her, within you…"

"So my mother gave me to be used as a specimen…" Sephiroth now looked down, shocked from the information. He had never known anything about his 'mother' from anyone other than Hojo, who had claimed her name was Jenova and that she had died giving birth to him. Yet now he knew - the woman who birthed him was no better than his father, Hojo, himself. He felt a sudden rage pouring through him. "I remember the flames. I remember...screams." his eyes flickering to Cloud, who was staring at him with parted lips, "Ever since I was young, I can remember...burning Nibelheim to the ground...though I have never been there myself..." Cloud's eyes began to widen, the horror evident, "I can hear a voice, _her_ voice. Deep inside me, calling out, even now. Telling me that I am destined to rule you weak creatures... yet when I am with you," he smiled softly, "the voice is no longer present, the flames distinguished. There is only you..."

Cloud suddenly moved from where he sat, standing and staring at the Masamune blade on it's stand overlooking the room, Sephiroth redirected his attentions to the boy. Trailing a finger across the blade's sheath, the memories flooding through his mind, Cloud shut his eyes. He would not, could not allow the silver hair to take his everything. Not again. He turned to Sephiroth, grimacing slightly, dropping the blanket from around his shoulders to press his hand against the thin white scar on his chest.

"You gave me this…" Cloud murmured, "when you tore off Jenova's head, plunging into the lifestream, having nearly killed my friends, Zack…Tifa…" he closed his eyes, allowing his cetra powers to flow through him, suddenly revealing dozens of variating sized scars across his body, blood beginning to drip from them, "you gave me these, when Kadaj combined himself with the last of Jenova's cells, resurrecting in, to destroy the planet…" he covered himself again, wounds healing, the thin material stopping by his throat, watching as Sephiroth stared at him, "yet I chose not to kill you. Because I know you are not the same man." his eyes narrowed slightly, a frown developing on his forehead, "you wont go mad from the pain of discovering you are not human, you wont try to kill Zack, Tifa, Aeris… you will not try to destroy this planet." his hands clenched into small fists, "because this time, I wont let you."

Sephiroth said nothing. Cloud Strife was truly an extraordinary teenager. Many would have given up fighting after so long, yet the boy continued on, even threatening him in his very apartment. It was almost as though he was issuing him a challenge - just try to destroy the planet, I dare you. Yet Sephiroth found he was no longer angry. Rather he felt…relieved. After living for twenty five years and not knowing of his true birth, of what he truly was, he now knew. Cloud was not lying to him. On the contrary, he had been the first person to ever tell him the truth, and nothing but. Sephiroth stood, approaching the boy, who stood staring him down, unafraid despite being naked beneath the sheet and unarmed. Stopping before the shorter male, he ran a hand over the blonde's cheek, catching a falling tear, the hate in Cloud's eyes dissipating.

"Cloud." Sephiroth murmured, "I am not angry. I will not lose my mind, as you say. Rather, I am relieved to finally know the information behind my existence. Words cannot express the gratitude I hold for you." he leaned into the boy, pressing his lips against a blonde lock covered forehead, kissing him gently.

Cloud stood dumbstruck. Sephiroth's sword was right behind them, yet he made no move to reach for it. Instead, he kissed him tenderly before pulling back, leaving the blonde to stare at him in a mixture of disbelief and bewilderment. Why was this General so understanding? So caring, so _human_? When the man began to move away from him, his boots landing lightly upon the carpet beneath them, Cloud found himself following. Sephiroth stopped, turning to him when he felt the small arms make their way around his waist, clinging to him timidly from behind.

"Thank you…" Cloud whispered, near silent. The General said nothing, keeping his composure, a solemn mask still fitted to his expression. If anyone other than Cloud had told him of this…story, he would have ran his blade through them for being so insolent as to mock their superior officer, yet he required no evidence to believe the blonde's claims. The look in his eyes was enough.

Cloud eventually pulled back, realising they had been stood there for nearly five minutes. Sephiroth turned to him, staring down at the boy who was still trembling slightly, as though he was afraid that the silver hair would turn on him at any second, an unimaginable rage pouring through him. Yet he still felt no anger, only peace, as though he had been reborn in a different body, a different world, much like Cloud had. He dropped to one knee, sliding his hand over the blonde's cheek, sapphire irises widening at the change of position. A soft smile made it's way across Sephiroth's thin lips, a strange feeling of content washing over him.

"Cloud, I would never hurt you…" he ran his thumb over Cloud's pursed mouth, feeling the hot breath against his near always chilled skin, "if I had not been created in this way, how would I have ever met you…?" he realised this was sounding awfully like one of Genesis' romantic films. But he did not care. The soft fluster making it's way across the third class' cheeks was enough.

Pressing his lips against Cloud's, the boy responded, slowly, tantalisingly at first, then parted his mouth to allow Sephiroth's tongue to move into the wet darkness. Cloud's arms made their way around his neck again, soft hair spilling down his small limbs like a thick veil, a waterfall of silver meeting with mountains of gold, creating a paradise on Gaia. Cloud gripped down onto the General's jacket, unwilling to allow the moment to leave him, the kiss so gentle yet so passionate, his heart was beating so loudly he felt sure that Sephiroth would be able to hear it echoing through the entire sixty ninth floor. However, when the General drew back ever so slightly, their skin parting, he ran his long fingers over one of Cloud's arms, moving it to press the palm of his hand against his chest, just below his left collarbone. Cloud felt the man's heart thudding against him through his pale skin, his own fingers slipped beneath one of the leather straps Sephiroth wore. And yet, despite the cold skin of Sephiroth leant against the blonde's hand, he felt as though he was on fire.

_What is it they say?_ Cloud wondered as he was kissed again, his hand still present on Sephiroth's chest, the sound of their hearts filling his ears. _Cold hands, warm heart_? Yes, that was it.

That was very much the case.

_AN ;; terribly short chapter, although we get to see a romantic Sephiroth and Cloud's desires finally fulfilled. _

_PS. NO. The story is **NOWHERE NEAR FINISHED**. Don't fret, guys. This story is **only** around **30%** completed. This is just the part of Genesis and Angeal coming to a close. However they wont be disappearing entirely. Expect them to be present in future chapter. For they are beloved by the Goddess...~ Nightfall_


	45. Chapter 45

_AN ;; I've gone back through the old chapters and changed the word 'faculty' to 'facility'. I never noticed I had been using that word by mistake ;_;' forgive my bad author skills. Also updated some chapters quite a considerable bit before I started this one. Thank you to the reviewers who pointed out my mistakes. Also got rid of a couple of Genesis' 'purring' situations so he doesn't seem /too/ much like a cat. I really do appreciate your reviews, guys, it helps me hunt down any errors I make and improves the story as a whole :3 So, time for a new chapter. _

**CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE**

Genesis raised an eyebrow as the blonde third class approached him, a leg hanging over the banister ledge as he waited impatiently upon the balcony of the President's office. Cloud had not taken long at all, at the most thirty minutes. Maybe Sephiroth wasn't as cut up to slack as Genesis had first thought. A feral smirk made it's way across his lips, white hair flickering in the night breeze. His jacket had turned a dark grey, his degradation was near complete, his wing was now slumped upon the ground, appearing broken. He did not move when Cloud stopped before him, holding a single vial of blood in his hands. Genesis mused to himself. How had the boy managed to get a hold of that, unless he broke into the science department… which would explain why he did not seem as though he would collapse from pain in his hips at any moment. The third class must have chosen to include Sephiroth in of their transaction. This was very pleasing to the crimson commander. It simply meant he would set fire to the boy as soon as he received the S cells.

"I see you have…brought me…the cells…" he held out a hand, wheezing as he spoke, "give them to me…"

"No."

Genesis' eyes widened, fury pouring through his veins. Insolent runt! He tried to unleash the flames within him, yet the sword he held stayed quiet, refusing to take to blaze, his powers completely drained. He had no way of forcing the boy to give him his cure, Angeal's cure. Stubbornly, the crimson commander lowered his head, knowing full well that he would do anything to save his lover, and replied with slow, weakened words, lost of all the passion Genesis Rhapsodos once held.

"Why…?"

"I do not trust you, Genesis. I will not give you the cells, not until you promise me something." Cloud replied, his sapphire irises hardening, pretending that he did not care that the crimson commander was on death's doorstep, ready to be cast into a wooden box and buried six feet down. Yet he would not give Genesis the cure, not if he did not have the complete loyalty of the man. Genesis could simply heal himself and continue his onslaught of the facility, of the world, but this way, Cloud held the power.

"What…do you want…?" Genesis questioned meekly, his eyes closing, a sigh escaping his lips.

"You will pledge your loyalty to me." Cloud stated his demands, holding the vial of blood in his right hand, unarmed but knowing that the degrading man before him could do nothing, "you will come when I command, fight by my side as a warrior, as a friend…"

"A friend...? I am your enemy, you stupid boy..."

"No. You are ShinRa's enemy. Not my own."

"I am...a monster..." Genesis' eyes narrowed, "I am the world's enemy..."

"You are just as human as I am, Genesis."

His eyes widening, the crimson commander glowered at Cloud with a mixture of disbelief and interest in his stare.

"What...?"

"I am a cetra, a champion of the lifestream. It doesn't matter if you're not human, because I'm not either. If ShinRa ever discovered what I truly am..." he smiled softly, shaking his head, "humans have forgotten what their mother race did for them, so long ago...they would hunt me down, pull my body apart, spit on my corpse...humans fear what they do not understand...there are no such things as monsters, only the misunderstood..." he explained, Genesis continuing to glower at him, as though he was taking in the reasoning but not quite willing to accept it. He changed his direction, refusing to become nothing more than a dog for another man, be it President ShinRa or Cloud, without good reason.

"And what…if I refuse…?" Genesis' autocracy was still present, showing Cloud that despite the man losing nearly everything - his title, his body, his mind… he was still the same crimson commander. A man with unwavering loyalty, a phoenix cast in golden chains, blazing through entire armies in the name of whoever held his allegiance.

"The planet is dying, Genesis." Cloud began to walk closer to the man, the black feathers growing out from that fifth limb weakly shifting beneath the evening winds, "I need your help. The planet needs your help."

"You sound like…AVALANCHE…" Genesis tried to chuckle but coughed out blackness from his mouth, spilling out the oil like liquid down his chest, running over his chin and lower lip, teeth darkened with the sickness.

"I don't want you to die, Commander. But if you stand in my way, I have no choice but to leave you to your fate. Join me, be the warrior you were truly meant to be, burn through our enemies." Cloud's eyes narrowed into sharp blue slits, "for Angeal…"

Genesis' gaze widened at this. He turned to Cloud fully, grimacing, pulling away from the banister and falling to his knees, reaching out his weapon towards the blonde's legs, trying desperately to gain the strength to fight.

"If you…hurt him…"

"You have mistaken me," Cloud murmured softly, stepping past the blade and getting down to the crimson commander's level, crouching, "I want Angeal by my side, too."

Genesis was glaring, yet when he heard this statement from the blonde third class, he lowered his head, staring down at the hand holding out the blood to him. When he tried to reach for it with his left hand, the vial nearly spilled in Cloud's hand to the floor, Genesis almost knocking it over, too weak to grip down on it. Cloud frowned, running a hand under the crimson commander's chin, he pressed the open bottle against the man's lips, pouring in the S cells. Genesis swallowed them weakly, but as soon as the DNA came into contact with his body, he began to convulse, coughing out the blackness over Cloud's body and pulling back, desperately gasping for air, the wing on his back shifting and pulsating, the black feathers pulling away, escaping into the wind and turning to ash. Genesis fell to the side, his hair suddenly shifting from white to a dark grey, then the auburn rippled through each strand from the roots to tips, his skin darkening from pale to mocha tan, his jacket becoming scarlet once more. His wounds sealing, bullets pushing out of the flesh and landing onto the ground, Genesis let out an exasperated sigh, finally free of the agony which had been pulsating within him for so long. Restored to his former glory, the flames exploding around the crimson commander's arms and burned wildly, a grin spreading across Genesis' lips. The wing upon his back began to grow out feathers again, but this time, they were as white as newborn snowflakes, falling from the winter sky. The crimson commander sat on one knee for a while, absorbing his newly regained strength, before tilting his head back and releasing a low, husky laugh.

Cloud frowned. He pulled out the second vial from his pocket, holding it before the commander. Genesis twitched, turning to the blonde, still smirking that grotesque, signature sneer.

"My friend, the fates are cruel…" shifting from where he was positioned, Genesis stood up fully, the wing spreading out behind him, releasing a gust of wind across the concrete rooftop, tilting his head to the side, "you trust this traitor enough to restore his powers, unsure if he would turn his blade on you now, unarmed maiden?"

"I know you will not hurt me." Cloud replied simply, holding the vial in his hands, "Angeal is not the only man with unbreakable honour."

"Heh, you compare me to Angeal?" Genesis found this amusing. Never had anyone thought of him similar to his lover. It...pleased him. He took to one knee, that over confidence within him shining through, acting out the part of the fully restored warrior. Bowing on one knee before the blonde, Genesis let draw a soft purr, "I pledge my loyalty to you, Cloud Strife. Yet why you have chosen to give me a second chance escapes my knowledge."

"You are not an evil man, Genesis." the third class gave the vial to Genesis, who took it and stared intensely at the scarlet liquid, tinted with a strange green sheen, "you were simply made that way by the world around us."

"There is no hate, only joy…" the red head murmured, standing and staring down at the shorter male, "for you…are beloved by the goddess…" slipping the vial into a jacket pocket, Genesis turned his head away, approaching the banister once again, walking slow enough to signal for the blonde to follow, "and what would you ask of me first, my liege?"

"Take Angeal and wait for my command in Cosmo Canyon." Cloud informed, Genesis placing a foot onto the banister before pulling himself up and squatting on the metal, wing held safely by his side, "my friends will keep you both safe until the time is right."

"I am to be cast aside like a fallen leaf in the autumn wind?" Genesis raised an eyebrow, continuing to grin, "very well, Cloud. I shall bid you, adeu." Cloud took a step back when Genesis released his fifth limb, a flurry of white feathers erupting into the sky, the wind catching them to create a ripple of blinding white, "out of curiosity's sake, Cloud…" Cloud slowed, Genesis glancing back at him with a cerulean iris, "how did you convince Sephiroth to give you the cells?"

Cloud smiled softly.

"You're not the only one who has a beloved waiting for them, Genesis."

Genesis laughed softly at this. His attempts to get Sephiroth a lover had finally worked. He felt fulfilled by the prospect, considering he had gone through hundreds of individuals searching for the right one to complete the silver General. His old friend had finally become whole. Leaping forward, he leapt into the skies, plummeting towards the ground before beating his wing, gliding upward and through the night sky, glistening beneath the winter starlight.

Cloud continued to stand there smiling to himself until Genesis disappeared from sight, the last flicker of red blur vanishing into the darkness beyond. He sighed softly, turning, sapphire eyes moving to the General who stood watching from just outside the President's office, lime green optics locked onto the blonde. Cloud approached the General, who held out a hand to him, a small smile making it's way across his lips. Cloud pressed the palm of his hand against the black leather glove, allowing Sephiroth to pull him into his chest, fingers running through his hair, their lips meeting in a gentle embrace.

Yet throughout the scene, the TURK watching had been horrified, the disbelief evident on her youthful face. Holding the sniper ready to shoot the crimson commander down, she had held back when Cloud had appeared, then made no attempt to fight with Genesis, instead giving him something which restored all of his powers, before turning and falling into the arms of the General. Cissnei stared aghast, unsure what to think, the communicator in her ear releasing static as one of her superiors questioned if she had completed the mission. Pressing down on the respond command, Cissnei's lips parted, yet no words drew out, until she heard Veld question if she was alright.

"I…I'm fine…the mission… I failed. The target took flight before I could get an accurate aim…"

* * *

The ShinRa facility was very much quiet the next morning. Employees busied themselves with their mundane tasks, while SOLDIERS trained cadets among the grounds outside, Corporeal Riley using his 'cross country' method to root out the trouble makers in his class. He had nearly pissed himself when Genesis Rhapsodos of all people had appeared in the apartment, but quickly dismissed it as a false memory when he awoke with an empty bottle of Midgardian vodka by his side and the blonde acting as though he was delusional. And so now he was left to cadet duties, his least favourable job other than elevator guard hours, while Cloud Strife was swanning about on the forty ninth floor, being congratulated by SOLDIERS of all rankings for his brilliant performance against the Genesis clones, while even the TURKS managed to crack a few smiles towards him.

Cloud was tackled to the floor by a group of fellow third classes, knuckling his head and cheering him on, before throwing him up in the air and carrying him around the no longer burnt forty ninth floor, the refurbishments having been completed, much to the irritation of President ShinRa and his wallet. Moving around the floor until stopping abruptly, dropping the blonde to the floor and scampering away, the third classes seemed to be spooked by something and abandoned their entertainment, rushing back to their posts. Cloud groaned, having landed on his back, he sat up, reaching back to rub his shoulder with one hand before turning his sapphire gaze to the second class stood looking down at him.

Zack said nothing, his eyes narrowed into sharp blue slits. Cloud swallowed, wondering what he had done to infuriate his friend so much. Zack must have just arrived back from Gongaga - he looked weary and was still wearing his uniform from the day before, which was covered in large patches of thick, dried murk, obviously from trekking through jungle terrain. When his glare soon dissipated, the second class grinning widely, he held out a hand to Cloud. Cloud smiled and took the hand, pulling himself to his feet with the help of the raven head. Zack threw him into a head lock, holding him tight.

"You did it!" he released Cloud for a moment so he could breath, then tugged him back into his arms, "I was so worried! But you did it! You saved ShinRa!"

Cloud rolled his eyes, pulling away from Zack who simply winked to him, as though he was saying, 'ok, we both don't like this company, but you're safe and that's what matters'. Cloud stumbled back slightly, regaining the use of his legs after being near crushed by the SOLDIER, Zack continued to laugh and held him steady, before turning and leading him towards the elevator.

"I got sent to bring you up to Lazard's office," Zack explained as they entered the metal box, Zack using his key card to get them up to the correct floor, "he wants to talk to you, probably to tell you how much he appreciates you saving this shithole."

Cloud smiled at Zack's new term for the building. It was very Reno-like. Yet what he did not mention during their conversation on the way up was of how his mission went. Cloud had received a text from Reno telling him they were alright, but explained in no further detail what had happened during the mission. Cloud moved his hand to Zack's arm, running his fingers over one of the muscles, drawing the raven head's attention to him.

"Zack, what happened…with Angeal?"

Zack stared at him with softened eyes, the hatred now gone from his stare when he was reminded of his old mentor. He sighed quietly.

"I let him go."

"What…?"

"He was dying," Zack murmured, turning his gaze away from his blonde friend, the one he adored with all his heart, "I didn't need to kill him."

"But, Reno-"

"He understood….eventually." Zack turned to the door as the metal sheets pulled open, revealing the corridor leading to the SOLDIER Director's office, "it doesn't matter anymore. It's just you and me now, alright, Spiky?" he grinned, pulling Cloud along behind him as he near skipped through the hall, stopping when they came to the door before knocking loudly.

Permitted to enter by the doorway flashing green, the two SOLDIERS piled into the room, Zack clinging onto Cloud and knuckling a fist into the blonde spikes, not stopping until Lazard turned to them, sat on his leather chair with an eyebrow raised at their immaturity. Zack released his friend and straightened up, the third class following immediately before his sapphire eyes trailed to the fourth individual stood in the room.

Sephiroth said nothing, watching Cloud from the corner of his eyes. He was wearing his battle armour, Masamune resting by his side as he leaned against the wall. Silver hair spilling down his clothing, Cloud realising he was having to hold back the smile attempting to break across his lips at the sight of the General, his heart fluttering. As Lazard requested they come closer, the two males made their way towards his desk, noticing the video footage behind him was of the battle outside the facility, Cloud and Sephiroth fighting side by side against the summon Ifrit. Zack's eyes widened considerably - for although he had been told of the battle, he had no idea it had been so powerful, so mind-blowing. Zack shot a grin towards Cloud, who was blushing slightly, which Zack assumed was due to being put on the spot before the Director for a second time in his year at the facility.

"Cloud Strife…" Lazard shook his head, "never in my life have I seen a boy raise up from being a cadet one minute, to fighting summons at the next." he ran his hands through his hair, "how do you do it? Is there some new kind of drug you young ones are into these days?"

Hearing Zack stifle a laugh beside him, Cloud threw him a playful glare, trying to get him to be quiet.

"Sir, no sir. I…" there wasn't really an explanation for it. Well, there was, but he had no intentions of telling the SOLDIER Director of his being from another planet and a freaking cetra.

"No need to explain, Strife." Lazard exhaled, both his eyebrows now raised, "I don't know if I really want to know the details. All I do know, is that I can see a SOLDIER before me who deserves a higher ranking than his current position in this company."

Cloud's eyes widened as Lazard smiled, his reaction of pure shock evident. Zack had gone silent beside him other than the wide grin across his lips, evidently proud of his beloved blonde. Cloud hoped that the raven head would not jump onto him and send them tumbling to the floor right in front of President ShinRa's illegitimate heir, nor in front of his silver haired lover watching quietly from the side.

"Therefore, it is my duty, and an honour, to promote you, Cloud Strife, to SOLDIER second class." Lazard declared quietly, waiting for the predictable Zackary Fair's attack. Which happened not moments later, Zack leaping onto Cloud's side and hanging on, the blonde struggling to keep on his feet until Zack tripped him over playfully, the two landing in a heap on the carpet before Lazard.

Lazard rolled his eyes at the two, continuing.

"Furthermore, I received reports from the TURK Reno who accompanied you, Zack Fair," Zack's imaginary puppy ears perked at this, releasing Cloud for long enough for them both to sit up on the floor, the blonde's face bright red, "it would be a shame if I were to ignore your own accomplishments, in the blinding light of Strife's golden battle. Therefore, I am also promoting you, to SOLDIER first class."

Zack nearly imploded with joy. He leapt up, arms flailing on Lazard's table, reaching out to hug the Director, held back by Cloud hanging onto his leg to stop him making a fool of himself. When Lazard coughed roughly, the two SOLDIERS clambered back to their feet, both burning scarlet with a mixture of joy and embarrassment. The General continued to say nothing, simply examining the situation silently. Cloud caught onto his feline slit orbs and flustered even more, Sephiroth holding back a small smile.

"It seems you are both too…excitable… to be stood in my presence for long." Lazard muttered, the two children before him nearly jumping on the spot if it were not for his exasperated glower, "very well. You may both take the evening off. Strife, you will receive your first orders tomorrow at six am. Until then, you are both dismissed."

Zack grabbed onto Cloud and practically dragged him after him through the office before the two fell into heaps of laughter, Zack tickling the blonde now second class.

"You did it! You're a second!"

"You made it to first, too, remember?" Cloud jested and pressed a finger against Zack's chest, his friend grinning madly.

"Yeah…" he turned his sapphire gaze away for a moment, appearing slightly down, murmuring, "I…just wish Angeal had been here to see it…is all."

Cloud smiled and leaned into Zack, wrapping his arms around his neck and holding him tight.

"It's alright…" should he mention to Zack that the commanders were both very much still alive, hidden in Cosmo Canyon with Elfé and the rest of his gathered team? Cloud sighed internally, deciding against it. At least for a few days. Let Zack enjoy his promotion for now. After all, it was the happiest they would feel for a long, long time. "I'll never leave you."


	46. Chapter 46

**CHAPTER FORTY-SIX**

Pointing to the balcony above them, Zack waited for Cloud to turn his sapphire gaze from the crowds and towards the newly opened restaurant in Midgar's sector two. Having dragged the blonde out with him from Lazard's office after they had received their promotions, they had spent a few hours up on the plate of Midgar, far above the slums, the stark contrast of the areas upon the skyline overlooking the depths of misery below making them just realise how much they wanted to change the world. Yet that could wait; for now they were catching up on their familiarities, with Zack pulling Cloud towards a stand of gold chocobos and grinning, pointing at his hair and chuckling. Cloud simply rolled his eyes at this, a chocobo pecking at his arm and demanding to be fed. As soon as he handed the ovarian a gysahl green, the bird had near trampled him in a mad stampede to show it's gratitude. Zack saved him, pulling him out of the pen before the two landed on the floor amongst the crowd, laughing loudly. After this, they had made their way through the huge market place, Cloud stopping when he noticed a ear piercing stall. Zack noticed his friend halting and turned, watching as Cloud approached the stand and stared at the wolf earring sat upon the stand, the woman hurrying over to greet him. When Cloud smiled, explaining he didn't have enough gil on him, the raven head SOLDIER swooped in behind him, dropping an arm around his shoulders and telling Cloud he could have whatever he wanted, as long as the piercing was on the same ear as his. Smiling, the blonde informed him he wanted the earring to symbolise their friendship. Zack held onto Cloud's hand tightly as he sat down, as though he was the one being pierced rather than the second class, who just chortled softly when Zack visibly flinched as the gun penetrating his ear lobe, leaving a hole for the wolf head earring to be pushed in. Cleaning up the small amount of blood, the stall owner commented that they made a lovely couple. Blushing profusely, Cloud near ran as Zack simply chuckled, handing over the due amount of gil before following his friend, who had near disappeared in the crowd if it were not for his blonde spikes.

Now they stood a few feet away from the entrance to the expensive restaurant Zack had chosen, having remembered Genesis commenting that the recently new establishment made brilliant cakes. It seemed the crimson commander had been useful during his time with ShinRa after all, the raven head mused as he pulled Cloud along behind him, holding onto his hand. At first the doorman stared at them with a raised eyebrow, as they were still wearing their uniforms; Zack's still being covered in thick Gongagan mud. Yet Zack simply grinned, holding up his key card to confirm he was a second class, despite being recently promoted (he would have to pick up his new identifications later) and was permitted to pass. Cloud blinked, slouching down and near limbo-ing beneath the doorman's arm as he held the door open for them, but moved his arm down when the blonde approached. Zack chuckled and gestured for him to follow him up the red carpet stairs onto the top floor, to which Cloud did, ignoring the look of interest he received from the doorman and from the groups of women gathered around the stairs, dressed in head to toe with expensive fabrics and jewellery. Cloud felt extremely out of place. Yet Zack was undeterred and only stopped when he was pointed to a table by a waitress overlooking the plate by the ledge of the balcony, staring out at the lit up streets, powered by ShinRa electrical company. Zack pulled out a chair for Cloud, who was receiving many strange looks from the diners around them, wondering why two SOLDIER men were having dinner together in such a romantic feeling setting. Cloud sat awkwardly, his chair pushed closer to the table by his raven headed friend before Zack bounced over to his own chair, leaning towards him and grinning.

"Well?"

Cloud blinked, tilting his head to the side slightly, unsure what he was supposed to say.

"Do you like it or not?" Zack queried, picking out the rose from in front of them, "bit…fancy, but never the less!" he put the rose stalk into his mouth, holding it in his teeth and winking to the blonde.

Cloud near burst into laughter, stifling his voice when they were disgruntled shot looks from the groups around them.

"It's…nice?" the blonde murmured simply, glancing as the waitress made her way over to them, wearing a basic black dress with a white apron.

"Oh, well, we can go somewhere else if you like." Zack tossed the crimson flower over the balcony, which nearly landed on the doorman below.

"No, it's fine." Cloud smiled softly, the waitress stopping by their table and handing them the menus.

"Hello gentlemen," she stopped abruptly, looking them up and down, "SOLDIERS." she decided on that word instead, before smiling widely, "we would like to welcome you to the Weeping Rose. Would you like something to drink before placing your orders?"

"Wine sound good, Cloud?" Zack questioned, turning his cerulean gaze to the second class who was staring out across the plate beyond, his lips parted slightly, as though he was remembering his past, "Cloud?"

"Oh. Yeah, sure." the blonde jolted back to the conversation, nodding a couple of times.

"What variety, sir?"

"Hmm. How about the special, Half Moon?" when the waitress noted this down, Zack grinned at Cloud, who stared at him as though he was supposed to know what the wine was. When his friend continued to seem oblivious, the waitress giving them a moment to look at the menus, he scoffed, "Cloud. Even you must know what Half Moon wine is!"

"No…" he shook his head slightly, "we didn't have wine in Nibelheim, only beer." which he had never even taken a sip of before leaving the mountainous village in his past life, he mused.

"Seriously?" Zack let out a soft sigh, still keeping his characteristic grin, "it's only like, the best drink ever." he stared at his key card, grinning, "also, Lazard basically said we could treat ourselves…"

Cloud turned his gaze back to the menu. One bottle of Half Moon wine was six hundred gil. He coughed loudly, distracting nearby diners again.

"Zack! That costs a fortune!"

"So?" he chuckled softly at Cloud's aghast stare, "look. I think we both know how much we deserve it. Plus, it's a special day tomorrow."

"…Huh?" Cloud raked through his brain. The annual march in Junon was not for another four months, while the President's birthday would be unlikely to be celebrated by the raven head. What could he mean?

Realising Cloud had forgotten, Zack simply ran a hand across the table, stopping by Cloud's fingers.

"It's my birthday, of course!" the chocobo head's eyes widened to saucers at this, knowing he had forgotten, Zack laughed quietly, "it's alright. No one celebrates birthdays in the army anymore, I get it." he smiled, relaxed for the first time in many months, "just…Angeal promised he'd take me here, some time. Genesis, too. Now they're gone…" he closed his eyes, still grinning, "I wanted to share this time with you. Who knows what tomorrow brings anymore? Cetras here, monsters there…"

"Zack. I wont let anyone hurt you."

Zack laughed openly at this; a heart warming, husky tone which near vibrated the table, Cloud's gaze softening ever so slightly from it's usual hardened stance, running a hand over to his newly pierced ear and twisting the earring.

"Aren't I the one who's supposed to say that to you?" he picked up a fork, pretending to stab through the air as the waitress began to shuffle over to the two again, "besides, I told you! No one can hurt me! I'm invincible!" grinning at the waitress to tell her it was safe to come over, he placed his order, "I'll have the roast griffin, with all the extras, what about you, Cloud?"

"…You can eat griffins?"

"Of course! You can eat anything!" Zack waited for one of the blonde's naïve responses, then found himself struggling to breath at Cloud's response, the shining clean glasses being handed to them before the woman poured in the thick red wine, Cloud taking a sip before replying.

"…Even tonberries?"

The waitress giggled softly at the pair, Zack slouching back in the chair.

"He'll have the same."

"I figured as much." the waitress smiled softly at the SOLDIER'S response, scribbling down the orders on her small notepad, "but I must say, you boys are absolutely adorable. Definitely the cutest couple I've ever served! You must have quite the tale to tell!"

Cloud spluttered on his wine, waving a hand in the air to protest his innocence when Zack simply continued to laugh.

"We really do," he watched as Cloud stared at him, bewildered and cheeks burning in crimson flames, "I met the little cutie when he was just an itsy bitsy cadet, spilling his food all over me in the cafeteria hall…"

"For the last time! that was an accident!" Cloud found that despite his embarassment, he could not hold back laughter, retorting Zack's comment while the raven head simply grinned at him, the waitress giggling quietly.

"I'll be back with your food soon." she nodded, "I'll add desert for free, on the house." she waved a hand to them over her shoulder as she turned, skipping towards the kitchens to hand in the order.

Zack turned back to Cloud, who was glowering at him playfully.

"You're such a bastard, Zack."

"You love it." Zack countered with ease, picking up the wine glass in his hand with three pinched fingers and taking a small sip, the bottle having been left by the side.

Cloud stared back out at the plate beyond, lit up by ShinRa's electricity, directly drained from the lifestream itself, murmuring something quietly. Zack's imaginary puppy ears perked up at this; he slid a foot under the table and ran it across Cloud's leg, the blonde turning to him, immediately flustering from his touch.

"What's up?"

The blonde simply sighed near inaudibly, lowering his gaze towards the glass in front of him.

"When meteor struck, the plate… the entire city of Midgar was destroyed…" he shook his head, "I had never been up on the plate before now. I always thought it was some miraculous place, filled with wonderful people and a city to admire. But, aside from the difference in appearance, it's exactly like the slums below…" he smiled slightly, "different setting. Same scenario. While the people below us suffer and sleep in their own piss, those up here live comfortably, ignorant, unconcerned with the pain so close to them, yet so far…" he sighed, "humans are truly a terrible species."

"Hey, I'm human, y'know." Zack poked his foot into Cloud's leg, "so were you at one point. Don't categorise an entire race just because of a few dickheads."

"A few?" Cloud scoffed, "look at these people, they don't give a damn. It took the entire planet nearly being destroyed for them to open their eyes and witness the suffering for themselves to do something about it."

"You sound so much like…" Zack stopped. He knew exactly who he was going to say, and so did Cloud, from the look of understanding he gave him.

Sephiroth.

They waited around ten minutes until their dinner was brought out to them by the same waitress, who giggled softly when Zack kicked Cloud under the table to draw back his attentions from staring out into the darkness beyond and to the plates provided before them. Once she had left them to their meal, Zack stabbed his fork into the meat, holding the entire chunk up and grinning. Cloud rolled his eyes, the diners around them shooting them more disgusted looks before gossiping amongst each other. Zack simply tore into the cooked griffin meat with ease, figuring he didn't need to use a knife to cut through the brown flesh. Cloud on the other hand used his cutlery and cut the food into sizeable bites, the raven headed SOLDIER swallowing down the food as though he'd never been fed before in his life. The blonde second class sat straight as he ate, while Zack was slouched over his plate like a wolf defending it's kill, eventually finishing within minutes of receiving the dinner. Cloud ran a hand through his blonde locks, Zack grinning at him and pointing at his plate with his knife.

"You gonna eat that?"

Cloud slid the plate to his friend who dived upon it instantly, near devouring the table along with it. Sipping the wine, Cloud noted the strange tastes. At first the liquid had tasted bitter to his tongue, but as his taste buds got used to it, the wine began to take the shape of a bouquet of exotic fruit within his mouth before melting into a charred wood like taste, as though an explosion of flavours had began to tango beyond his lips. Feeling the vibration in his uniform pocket by his hip, he glanced down, pulling out the cell phone and examining the caller ID. He cancelled the call, slipping it back into the fabric of his uniform. The General could wait until later, whatever it was that he wanted. It wasn't as though he couldn't take down entire armies with that freakishly long sword of his. No, this was his time with Zack now. Not even Sephiroth would interrupt that.

Zack's own phone began to ring, distracting the diners around them. He muttered an apology to Cloud before pulling the contact device out and staring at it, also ending the call before it had began. The blonde frowned. Zack glanced at him, still eating.

"Just Cissnei." he murmured half to himself.

Cloud did not move his brows from where they had buried deep upon his features. Was Cissnei the girl Zack had been in bed with a few days ago, before his mission to Gongaga? It was common knowledge throughout the ShinRa facility, from the TURKS to SOLDIERS to even the lowest employees, that the TURK had strong feelings for the raven headed first class. Yet Zack seemed to not even bat an eyelid at the fact it had been her who called. Perhaps she was not the one to have given Zack the bite marks on his neck? But then who else could it have been? Zack had broken up with Aeris months before, so that left no ideas for Cloud to work on. He didn't even know if Zack was that close with any of the other females who worked at ShinRa; although he was known to be a tad of a flirt, though nothing compared to Genesis Rhapsodos standards. He figured he should ask his friend why he broke up with the cetra in sector five in the first place, but his common sense held him back. It was none of his business, and he should respect Zack's decision and privacy. Cloud was not petty nor a gossip seeker, yet he could not help but wonder why he had given Aeris up after it was so obvious that he had been in love with her, and she him - considering she had only fallen for Cloud in the old world as he had taken on Zack's personality traits.

"Gaia to Cloud…"

Cloud blinked, noticing Zack was grinning away at him. He smiled slightly, a foot landing on the space of his chair between his thighs, dangerously close to his crotch.

"So, you got anyone special in your life?" Zack questioned, still with his lips pulled up into his famous grin.

"Special?" Cloud questioned, truly confused. Did Zack mean a lover?

"You know. A girlfriend," he raised an eyebrow, "…boyfriend?"

Cloud was silent. What he had with Sephiroth…was that a relationship? They had sex, kissed and shared their thoughts, but neither had told the other they 'loved' each other. Though Cloud was sure his own feelings were painfully obvious, trying to read Sephiroth's emotions was like finding a pin in a haystack. Near. Impossible. Cloud was not gay, either. Well, he had not been. He had no attraction to men or, well, anyone really. It was not that he had personal issues holding him back from a love life anymore, other than being a champion of the lifestream and in charge of saving the planet, of course. Yet even before that, his only crush had been on Tifa, but even then, he had only sought to be accepted by her into the group of local teenagers back in Nibelheim, and so desiring Tifa Lockhart was near a rite in itself, a passage way to being 'normal'. But Cloud was not normal, nor did he want to be. For a long time he had wanted nothing more than to live a life without having to constantly fight for his life, for the lives of his friends, but now he accepted it was his destiny, he had been chosen to protect the world and it's people. And he would do so with honour, with or without a lover by his side. Yet…Sephiroth… could he give up everything to be with the silver hair, or was what they had just a mere fling?

"No." Cloud found himself murmuring his response quietly, Zack's eyebrow settling and the grin on his lips spreading.

"What a coincidence! Neither do I." Zack chuckled, "let's join a singles club. Find some ladies in similar desperate need as us."

Cloud realised he had nearly forgotten. How he had forgotten such an important event in his old friend's life escaped him, but now he knew he would never forget it again. Never.

"Happy Birthday, Zack." Cloud smiled softly, his eyes phased over with joy. Seeing Zack's large grin spreading over his lips, twitching at the corners when it could not grow any further. This was the Zack he remembered, the man he loved, would throw himself into the lifestream to save time and time again.

"Thanks, Spiky." Zack chuckled, "though I should tell you, now that i'm twenty one, i'm now legally allowed to have sex in Rocket Town, Gongaga, and Midgar. You're no longer safe from me." he grinned widely.

Cloud could have rolled his eyes had he not heard the soft chuckling behind him. Blinking, he stood up, leaning over the balcony, Zack staring at him in confusion. When Cloud noticed the dishevelled red hair poking out of the plant behind his chair, he glanced back at Zack. The raven head also stood, abandoning their table for just a moment, he examined the head attempting to stay hidden from them. Zack crouched down, staring into the plant, the goggles glistening beneath the restaurant light.

"You're a shit TURK, Reno."

Reno let out a cry and fell back, his fingers slipping from the balcony, he fell eight foot down and landed on his ass, landing on Riley below him, who had been holding him up by his feet on his shoulders. The two lay crippled below them as Zack stared down at them, glaring with burning distaste, irritated that his time with Cloud had been interrupted by the two idiots. Cloud near galloped down the stairs to reach the entrance to make sure his friends were ok, Reno sitting up and sneering as he arrived, Corporeal Riley still lying on his back and groaning when Reno shoved him off him.

"What're you two doing here?" Cloud was truly confused, "why were you spying on us?"

Reno pointed a finger to Zack who began to approach from behind the blonde, the doorman nodding to him as he passed by, leaving the required money on the silver platter he held in his left hand, the other arm crossed over his chest. The first class approached Reno and Riley, who were both dressed in casual clothing and grimacing at them.

"Yo, just a bit of fun." Reno sniggered, "and I may be a terrible TURK, Fair, but you are an even terribler lover!"

"That's not even a word." Zack muttered lowly, Cloud helping his roommate to his feet, Riley still groaning as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the gil, handing it to Reno.

"You win."

Reno cheered to himself, slipping the money into his pocket before noticing the two SOLDIERS still stood before them. Zack narrowed his eyes.

"What were you betting on?" he demanded, taking a step towards the red head, who simply skipped back, tongue protruding from his mouth.

"If you would make a move on Cloudy, of course!" Reno informed, watching as Cloud's face soon lit red, the smaller of the four visibly flustering at this, "you disappoint me, Fair! One minute you're all over Cissnei, next you have the adorable Cloud yet do nothing! And here I thought you were such a play boy!"

Zack growled lowly, his imaginary dog tail fluffing up and straightening out, while Cloud simply blinked.

"You and Cissnei…?" he tilted his head. So Zack had been with her? Why had he chosen not to tell him? It…hurt. But then again, Cloud was not mentioning the fact that he was allowing General Sephiroth of all people to take his dignity time and time again.

"It was nothing serious." Zack muttered, his reply brisk. He clearly did not want to talk about the TURK.

"Dude, that's harsh." Reno continued to jibe at the SOLDIER first class, defending his co-worker while Riley had began to shift back, not wanting to be anywhere near the two when Zack eventually snapped, "and after Cissnei spent so much time trying to woo you! Even if you don't, she clearly thinks it's serious."

Zack wished they were all back up on the balcony so he could throw Reno off again. However, Cloud simply chortled quietly by his side.

"So that's where those weird marks on your neck came from, huh?" he walked past the raven head, stopping behind Reno and smiling slightly, "come on. It's getting late. We should get back to the facility."

"Cloud-" Zack wanted to continue, but when Reno held him back, the blonde moving away with Riley by his side, Zack could not follow after him.

Reno waited until Cloud was out of earshot before turning his wicked gaze to the first class, his TURK loyalty burning within him.

"I don't know what the hell that was, Fair. But if you dare mess Cissnei around, I will break your legs and toss you to the fucking Midgar Zolom."

Zack simply pushed Reno aside, ignoring the bitter threat.

"Whatever. Stay out of my way, Reno." he began to head on forward, stopping only when Reno let draw a sharp sneer.

"You should watch what you say, Fair." his eyes narrowed, the TURK moved past him, stopping only to glance at the raven head's mako infused eyes, their glares locking, "you seem to forget, I was there when you let Commander Hewley escape. You say anything, do anything that pisses me off, and I will let your precious SOLDIER Director know exactly what you're hiding."


	47. Chapter 47

_AN ;; TURKS KNOW ALL! But on a serious note, we've got Cissnei who saw Cloud giving Genesis the cure to save him and Angeal, and then we have the oh so devious Reno threatening Zack to not get on his bad side, or he'll tell everyone exactly what kind of hero Zack is, letting Angeal go after he had basically aided Genesis in killing the old TURK leader, Tseng. Anyway, time for the next chapter, my dears, I do hope you are enjoying the story so far..._

**CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

Walking through the darkness of the slums, Cloud Strife examined the phone in his hands. Two missed calls from the General; one from when he was at dinner with Zack; only to be interrupted by the constantly smirking Reno and his roommate Riley, who had gone off ahead when he stopped to look down at his phone, which had began to vibrate in his pocket again half way through sector two. Checking the caller ID, Cloud found it was Sephiroth attempting to call him again. He frowned, staring at the phone, unsure if he should answer or not. The phone eventually rang out, leaving the blonde alone in the painfully quiet shadows. Cloud was still reeling from realising that Zack had indeed been with the TURK Cissnei. Yet why he felt such hurt towards the fact when he was practically in a relationship with the silver haired General confused the second class SOLDIER. Reno and Zack were nowhere in sight from where Cloud stood far in depths of the slums, leaning back against a dank wall slightly. Pulling out the phone again, he dialled the number, pressing the cell to his ear and waiting.

"Hello, Cloud."

"Elfé." Cloud audibly sighed, relaxing slightly when she picked up, "how are Genesis and Angeal? Did they make it there ok?"

Elfé seemed to mutter something over the phone, irritated that she was acting like a mother to all of Cloud's friends. Eventually she replied.

"Both of the ShinRa dogs made it here, however, Hewley was near dead when Rhapsodos brought him to Bugenhagen's laboratory. He's stabilised, but in a critical condition."

"Then…the cells?"

"They worked fine," Elfé explained, "better than fine, I suppose. His hair went from white one second to black. Though his wounds were also healed, he'd lost a lot of blood on the journey. Rhapsodos donated a few gallons to save him."

"So…he will be alright?"

"I suppose." Elfé shouted at someone from over the phone, probably an AVALANCHE member, then redirected her attentions back to the blonde, "I'm getting sick of hanging around doing nothing, Cloud. When are we going to fight?"

"Not until I find all of my friends," Cloud informed, "then we'll work from there."

"With the amount of friends you have, we'll be ten years older."

Cloud ignored her remark and continued.

"Has Reeve finished the Cait Sith model?" he had wondered how far along the ex head of Urban Development would be in building the robot he cherished so dearly, the one he had used to be a spy for ShinRa when they had first met in Gold Saucer all those years ago.

"Needs a paint job," Elfé muttered, "but other than that, yeah, it's walking around, stealing stuff, offering to play cards with Shears, if that counts…" she stopped abruptly, hearing a deeper, male voice over the phone, she held the phone to the ear of one of Cloud's oldest friends and the fourth member of his original team, "Cloud."

"Nanaki." Cloud smiled slightly. He had missed talking with the fire feline. Yet he knew exactly what his friend was going to ask him, it was just a small matter of time, "how are you? How are Reeve and Aeris?"

"Reeve is fine, he hardly leaves grandfather's laboratory though, too busy working on Cait Sith." Nanaki hummed his response, his voice ocean deep and throaty, "Aeris is often in the astrology room with grandfather, discussing the cetra and the lifestream. I am fine, but Cloud…"

"Nanaki, please don't."

"Cloud. You can't save him. You can't protect everyone. He will go insane when he discovers the means of his true birth." Nanaki growled lowly, the phone still being held by Elfé, who had been filled in with all the details of Cloud's past with the silver haired General. She said something quietly which Cloud did not pick up on.

"I…told him."

"What?"

"He knows, Nanaki."

"Cloud…" Nanaki made a strange rustling noise, as though he was shaking his red fur down, "are you alright? What happened?"

"He didn't go mad…" Cloud sighed quietly, "he thanked me for telling him, but nothing has changed. He's still the same man."

"How is that possible? Sephiroth lost his mind when he discovered the truth about Jenova…" Nanaki let draw a low grumble from deep inside him, making an observation, he remarked, "perhaps it was because he was told by someone, rather than finding out himself…?"

"I don't know," Cloud replied honestly. He had been sure that Sephiroth would run his Masamune blade through his chest for a third time, yet he had not, instead simply…accepted the truth of his being. Though Cloud wondered if it was because they were near enough lovers, though neither asked the other if this was true. Instead, they simply accepted the need, the desire they had for one another, as though it was fate. "But…I can't leave him to die, not now Nanaki. I just can't."

"Cloud… do you love him?"

Cloud's eyes widened at this. Was it so damn obvious that even over a phone call his emotions were painted upon a blank canvas for the entire world to behold? He said nothing, raking through his mind to piece the puzzle together for himself. At first, he had hated the silver hair with every fibre of his being, every waking moment being haunted by the memory of the man destroying his hometown, killing his friends, tearing the world apart piece by piece before attempting to wipe out humanity and the entire life of Gaia with a meteor. This contempt had simply been carried with him when he had been pulled through the lifestream, his body stripped of it's mortality and being replaced with that of the skin of a cetra. His first meeting with Sephiroth in Angeal and Zack's apartment had not been the most compassionate, either. He had wanted to grab the buster sword displayed only a few metres from where he stood and ran it through the ShinRa General's chest, cutting him open and raining them down with blood as vengeance for years of torture. Yet he had realised, after a few months of being in the new world, that this Sephiroth was not the monster as he had been in the last realm. No, the silver hair of this world was the Sephiroth who had been alive before discovering his true identity within the Nibelheim mansion - a man with consciousness, humanity, and the capability of forgiveness. Even if he still held some of his sociopath tendencies; the way he had released Cloud from his hold when the blonde had used himself as a tool to gain the DNA cells for Genesis showed clearly to Cloud that the General did indeed care for him, though the idea that Sephiroth loved him was on a completely different league entirely. He found he was content just knowing he was not a mere puppet as the monster in his old world had called him repeatedly, grinding the word into his very mind until Cloud no longer knew if he was human or doll. Despite now no longer having the same spiritual connection with the silver hair due to not being injected with Jenova cells during four years of capture under Hojo's clutches, Cloud still felt as though he and Sephiroth completed a strange puzzle when they were together, as though it was destined for gold and silver to intertwine for eternity.

Sighing softly, he found the word slipping from his parted lips.

"Yes…"

Nanaki did not respond at first. A low, concerned growl escaped the red beast, causing the phone against Cloud's ear to reverberate slightly.

"Cloud, as long as you are happy, I will agree with your decision. However, do not let your heart lead you in this task. Love will not protect the planet from Jenova, nor those who seek to keep her in power."

"I know." he ran a hand through his hair, shoulders slouching back ever so slightly. At least Nanaki understood, and it felt good to finally tell someone, even if he could not bare to explain his emotions to the General himself, "thank you, Nanaki…"

Nanaki did not reply. Instead, Elfé snatched the phone back, near screaming within Bugenhagen's house, causing Cloud's head to rack with a sudden pain.

"You're hooking up with the fucking ShinRa General!?"

Cloud hung up as she continued to rant, leaving him no choice but to end the call. There was no way on Gaia he would be able to convince the AVALANCHE leader that it was his choice and the one he wanted to follow, not without going deaf in the process. He pushed himself up, ready to continue on, when the sound of a low snarl echoing a few hundred metres before him caused the mako infused ears of Cloud to pick up, his eyes widening as he examined the abyss before him. Taking a step back, a sharp snarl followed, the piercing green feline eyes glaring at him through the blackness.

Cloud leapt back as the jaws snapped into his leg, the dogs rushing towards him, black saliva pouring from their mouths and bright green froth spilling out of their nostrils. The blonde slammed against a wall, the two Jenova infected hounds snarling wildly at him, claws clattering upon the concrete covered ground beneath them. Cloud held steady, knowing the infected were attracted to sound, despising loud noises and constantly seeking to soak their maws in sweet, hot blood. He shifted slightly, backing away, realising the dogs were not the same as the infected nibel wolf he and Zack had fought months before. The cells they had been injected with had been improved, the sanity levels of the canines still secure, yet the way they stared on at him, the sides of their heads embedded with strange mechanic contraptions, it was almost as though they were being controlled…

At the first attack, Cloud dodged to the side, the dog slamming it's head against the wall before letting draw a low, magnified hiss which echoed through the alleyway, the blonde turning to run. Yet when he did so, he found more of the creatures in front of him, snapping and barking with high pitched, near humanoid screams. Cloud looked around him, desperate to find a weapon to defend himself with, but finding nothing, raised his fists to fight. An infected rushed onto him, Cloud punching up directly into it's lower jaw and sending it flying back, remembering a move his childhood friend would use often in their encounters during moving through the wilderness. The dog landed on it's side far from him, but as soon as Cloud thought the canines would back away from seeing one of their pack members fall, they simply began to swarm around him, feline optics turning into the smallest blackened slits. Cloud searched his pockets and found the time materia in one, probably left there by Sephiroth. He rushed forward, leaping over the dogs as he activated the materia, a shine of green lighting up by his side as he slowed time, saliva spilling through the air as the Jenova infected followed him from behind. He ran forward, making his way through sector two with the hounds close on his trial, near snapping at his ankles when the time materia wore out. Their speed was increased remarkably from being injected with the primordial alien cells, leaving Cloud with no option but to come skidding to a halt when he slid to a halt in sector one, the entrance doors of the ShinRa facility in sight. So close, yet so far. As soon as he came to a standstill, the dogs surrounded him, barking madly and closing in for the kill. Cloud readied a fist, waiting for the first attack.

A bullet rushed past him, causing his blonde hair to ripple in the drift caused by the thin metal. The ammunition pierced through the skull of one of the dogs, blood spraying out as it collapsed to the side, squirming as the black oil poured out from the wound, spilling out around it before it became still, dead. Cloud stood perfectly still as the bullets rushed past him, hitting the canines one by one until the eight creatures lay around him dead, the jaws of one still twitching until the woman crushed one foot down on it's head, black liquid spurting up across her boot.

Cissnei glowered at Cloud, holding the sniper in her hands. What the hell had the blonde been doing out alone at this time? When she'd received the call that some of Hojo's experiments had been sighted in sector three, having escaped through the sewers, she had tracked them down simply to find the now second class SOLDIER unarmed and surrounded. Yet the beasts did not attack him at first, as though they were analysing him, recognising him as their target. Cissnei narrowed her eyes. Had the creatures escaped…or been released?

But that did not matter now. The traitor stood before her, staring at her with thankful eyes, unknowing that she knew exactly what he had done; how he had saved the crimson commander from certain death after he had taken the lives of so many innocent people. She raised her gun towards him, holding her aim steady on his forehead.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now." she gritted through bared teeth. This was Zack's closest friend, a compulsive liar, who deceived the innocent, including Zack? Zack had left to fight his old mentor, Angeal Hewley, and defeated him, yet his friend here had given something to Genesis Rhapsodos to heal the man completely, and thus allow him to continue his onslaught of innocent civilians and ShinRa employees? Although Genesis had fallen off the map, presumed to be dead by the rest of the company, Cissnei knew. This sixteen year old boy, Cloud Strife, had saved the live of a murderer who cut her leader down as though he was nothing but a stray dog. And he thought he could just waltz back into ShinRa, pretending nothing had happened? NO.

"What…?" Cloud frowned, clearly confused, his sapphire irises flickering in the soft light radiating from the facility so close to them, "Cissnei, what's wrong? What did I-"

"You know _exactly_ what you did!" Cissnei snapped, "I saw you! You gave Rhapsodos something that healed him! You helped the enemy!"

"I…" Cloud stared at her, realising he was as good as dead should he try and run. He lowered himself towards the ground slightly, spreading out his arms, "Cissnei, he-"

"Don't you dare try and justify that murderer's actions! He took Tseng's life! He tried to destroy ShinRa! You think he gave a damn about any of you? About Angeal? And Zack?!" she was seething, "no! I'm the only one who cares about Zack! You're just a pretender, a false friend! You helped the man who turned Angeal into a monster!"

Cloud now understood he was facing the wrath of a woman scorned. Zack had used her and broke her, just as Angeal had done to Genesis at first, and what he thought Sephiroth was doing to him. The pain in her gaze was obvious, glazing over those sweet, once innocent eyes with nothing but hatred for the blonde. Cloud sighed quietly.

"Ciss…Zack does love you," he did not know if this was the truth, but if he said nothing, the trigger would be pulled and his brains dashed across the floor around them, "and Genesis, I…he…" he shook his head, "I couldn't just leave him to suffer…"

"Suffer!?" Cissnei's eyes widened at this, she threw a hand to the side, "you think he was suffering!? Zack was suffering! Yet you helped his enemy! You are the traitor here, not me!"

"I never said…" the blonde took an instinctive step back when Cissnei readied the gun again, pointing the barrel towards his chest, moving closer to him until the cold metal of the weapon was pressing against the thin fabric of his uniform, "Cissnei, would Zack want this?"

"…What?"

"Would Zack want you to shoot me?" Cloud realised he was going to have to twist her words, play with her feelings in order to survive. He would feel incredibly guilty about this later, but if he died, who would protect the planet? If he was killed right there, so early into his new life, who would stop Sephiroth's mind from snapping, shattering into a thousand pieces, consumed with rage towards ShinRa for his death? "Cissnei, Zack does love you, but…" he swallowed, "he loves me too…" as a brother, he added quietly in his mind.

"He…loves…me…" she had tears running from her eyes now, spilling down her cheeks, "then why hasn't he returned my calls?!"

"What?" Cloud nearly fell back when she pushed the gun into him. All this was about a missed call? Good Gaia, Zack certainly knew how to pick the loopy girls. Not that Aeris was mad, just…eccentric.

"If he loved me, he wouldn't be ignoring me!"

This felt like a tragic teen romance novel. Cloud kept his arms raised, unaware that his situation had been picked up upon by a third pair of eyes, watching from the cameras of the faculty, having tracked Cloud's phone.

"Look, he's just confused." Cloud would have moved towards the red head to give her a quick hug, but she was glaring him with absolute, unquenchable hatred. There was no way he was going to be able to consolidate her in the state of madness she had gone into. "He'll call you soon, he's not like other guys. I know Zack. He's…kind."

"Kind?" Cissnei tilted her head at this, the tears beginning to evaporate from her cheeks, reason finally making it's way into her head.

"Yes. He's kind. That's why he let Angeal go…" her eyes widened considerably at this information, "and that's why I let Genesis live. They were both close friends to Zack. He wouldn't want that for them, he didn't want them to die in suffering."

"Then…Reno lied…"

"Yes, but only to protect Zack." Cloud managed to get her to lower the gun slightly by pressing a hand down on it gently, now facing the barrel to his stomach, "we all love Zack, Cissnei. You most of all. But you've got to give him some space…" good Gaia, he felt like a counsellor. He was desperately raking his mind for tips here, wondering what Aeris or Tifa would say to a delusional TURK who had a gun pointed to them.

Suddenly he felt the phone vibrating in his pocket. He blinked, the gun moving to face his head. Cissnei's eyes narrowing, he swallowed bile back down his throat.

"Is it Zack? Answer it!"

Cloud slowly lowered his hand to his pocket, pulling out the phone and realising who was calling him from the caller ID. He accepted the call, pressing it against his ear.

"Hey." he murmured quietly, the young TURK watching his every move.

"You did not answer my calls." Sephiroth replied simply, his voice as calm and stoic as always. Cloud could have thrown the phone in the air with irritation if he was not facing a life or death situation.

"Sorry about that…" he turned his sapphire gaze away from Cissnei for but a moment, hoping to Gaia that someone would come and save him, run her over with a truck, "I'm kinda busy…"

"So I see." Sephiroth let out a soft chuckle, Cloud realising with horror that the General could see what was happening to him, yet where he was watching from he did not know, "you certainly get yourself into tough situations, Cloud. Hand her the phone."

"What?" his mind was screaming. He wanted to yell at the General for just standing around wherever he was and leaving him to Cissnei's madness. When Sephiroth did not reply, he thought at first the call had been cancelled, but upon moving the phone from his ear slightly, the TURK snatched it from him, walking back slightly and lowering the weapon.

"Zack! Is that you?" stopping abruptly, Cissnei's face soon faded of all colour. Her eyes widened into orbs of utter terror. It was an almost exact enactment of how a drunken Reno had acted when he had been confronted over the phone by the legendary silver General. Cissnei began to stutter something, her entire body shaking violently, before she dropped the phone, backing away from the blonde second class before disappearing in a run. Cloud frowned, picking up the phone, he let draw a low sigh.

"What did you say to her?"

"Does it matter?"

Cloud smiled slightly.

"Where are you?"

"The twenty first floor. I had an exceptional view of your confrontation with the TURK. Tell me, what have you done now?"

"She saw me give Genesis the cells." Cloud murmured quietly, making his way back to the entrance, the bodies of the fallen Jenova infected around him beginning to bubble before melting away into the concrete in rivers of bright green.

"That is indeed a troublesome situation. I shall deal with it." Sephiroth was silent for a moment, Cloud moving into the entrance hall and passing a few employees who were still up, downing cups of coffee to stay awake, "come to my apartment, Cloud."

Cloud stopped. His heart began to beat madly within his chest, threatening to break his rib cage. He felt as though he needed to gasp for air, his legs shivering with a strange sensation. He never felt this mixture of fear and excitement in his veins, not when fighting alone, nor when he was confronted by the TURK outside not moments ago, his life on the line. Nothing made him like this, this desperate, in the same way that hearing those words from Sephiroth did. It meant that the General desired him, to carve his everything into Cloud's body until he was quivering and unable to speak cohesively from the sheer pleasure. Cloud hummed his response, stepping into the elevator.

"Ok."

_AN ;; Sorry I made Cissnei a bit loopy. To be honest, I'm not really interested in her character. I prefer Tifa and Aeris. Cissnei just seems like a combination of them thrown hastily together in order to make a female for Zack to talk to in Crisis Core other than Aeris. Blah. Next chapter will have sexing. I started to miss writing lemons. I hope everyone is still enjoying this story. Soon things shall take a much, much more dramatic turn, which will lead to the beginning of an end. However, I have said too much. I will see you in the next chapter, guys. Have a good evening/afternoon/morning wherever you are ~ Nightfall_

_THIS CHAPTER MAY BE EDITED AT A LATER DATE _


	48. Chapter 48

_AN ;; Hello everybodyyy~ I'm writing another recommendation for a fellow author on the site that I get on well with (she is my waifu whether she agrees or not). Pop over to Hinata's Shadow1 's account to read through her stories of D Gray Man and Final Fantasy 7, they're very well written and I love them muchly. Cloud, Zack and Sephiroth are freaking nekos (emegerd Genesis with cat ears and tail would be so cute hnghhh), so yeah, if you've got a spare moment, please check her stories out. They are definitely worth the read ;D_

_Someone mentioned I should probably save this story elsewhere in case decides to delete it. So there's now a file safely stored in my novels folder. So nobody panic if the story disappears XD i'll just reupload it. __Anyway. Please do enjoy this next chapter...~_

**CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT**

Cloud responded to the kiss slowly at first, the cold, thin lips pressing against his own until he drew back, gasping for air. His entire body shaking under the SOLDIER General's constantly frozen touch, melting against his skin as they moved backward slightly, Cloud taking a few steps back only to have the silver hair growl lowly and follow his every movement, holding him tightly in his arms. Eventually Cloud managed to duck under Sephiroth's arms and escape, climbing up onto the couch and hiding at one side, panting loudly. The thrill of the chase was too strong, too much for him to give up on so early. When he had entered the apartment to find Sephiroth by the metal desk filling out paperwork, acting as though he had not expected Cloud to be there other than having left the door partially open so the blonde did not have to wait outside in the hallway.

Cloud received a spared glance before the General returned to the files, seeming to no longer acknowledge the blonde waiting for him, his small frame visibly shaking, desperate to be touched, to be held. Cloud would have mewled had he been Genesis, begged for the attention, but he was not the crimson commander, who needed his lover to be whole. Cloud could survive without the silver haired General, a lone wolf till his dying breath, yet he supposed he should thank him for saving his hind from Cissnei's bullets.

"Thanks..." the word drew from his lips as a soft murmur, drawing the General's attention to him, though those feline irises did not move to look at the blonde second class. Sephiroth seemed entirely taken in his work rather than the sixteen year old he had carved himself into time and time again. It was as though the game was constantly switching from two lovers in their embrace to ancient enemies, battling for their lives in differentiating worlds, and now the legendary General of ShinRa's armies, hardly batting an eyelash at his lesser comrade, their hearts on the edge of their blades, constantly torn between lust and hate.

And due to this constant game of war and love, Sephiroth was battling his interior dilemma. Cloud Strife may appear to be nothing more than an incredibly talented second class to the eyes of his superiors, including the General himself at one point, but the blonde was much, much more. He held the key to the door of ultimate power, the General's heart itself. Sephiroth knew he loved Cloud with everything he held, a feeling he had never experienced before in his lifetime, not for his father, his friends. No, other emotions were produced by the three. Angeal and Genesis held somewhat of his loyalty, though it was more trust and an undeniable appreciation of their acceptance of him, no matter how strong he was compared to the once degrading ex commanders. They always treated him as an individual, as human, despite the two soon being informed that Sephiroth was a cetra. Yet that was a lie. It was all...lies. Hojo... had lied to him, all his life. He held nothing more than a cold hatred towards the man who claimed to be his father, constantly appearing as a glazed black ice deep upon concrete, lying patiently, silently in wait to trip and break bones. But for Cloud... it was as though an explosion of emotion the silver hair had never even known he could hold was taking place within his chest, threatening to break his constant stoic stance, shattering the solitude and sending him insane with need. He had promised Cloud he would not lose his mind, not for Jenova, the alien of who's cells he shared, nor for any. But the way he was feeling, he was not so sure himself that he could keep his word to the blonde. The sixteen year old had trusted him with everything, his dignity, his memories, his body...and all Sephiroth could do was desperately beg his mind not to crack into pieces. Cloud was unknowingly driving him closer to the brink of madness, the General unable to cope with the feelings he possessed for the second class SOLDIER. Every time they touched, their lips colliding, skin meeting in a monsoon of sweat and passion, the silver hair could do nothing to control his own actions, the beast inside breaking free and turning him into nothing more than a crazed animal desperate for the pleasure, to hear Cloud's cries echoing through the apartment with each touch, melting like Gongagan butter within the palm of his hands.

"I see you managed to make it without a second confrontation." Sephiroth replied, ignoring the desire to hunt the blonde behind him down like a wolf going in for the kill, to feel fresh blood run over his tongue and flesh pierce beneath his teeth.

"Yeah." Cloud watched from the living area, eventually heading over to the kitchen and leaning over one of the counters slightly, his arms crossed, "what do you even say to them to make the TURKS so terrified?" the blonde had always assumed the ShinRa hyenas no longer bore any emotion, having it pounded out of them through constant training and witnessing innocence being slaughtered all for the sake of the President's complete control over Midgar and most of the mortal world. Witnessing both Reno and Cissnei near piss themselves out of terror from having the silver haired General speak so calmly, so unaffected by their turmoil as each word entered their minds, blood escaping from skin and leaving pale, near corpse like individuals standing shaking in their skin left Cloud wondering what leverage the General had over their heads. Knowing such a powerful tool would be absolutely necessary if his plans were to work, and the silver hair seemed to have no issue with discussing information with him when he was not trying to break his hips or run him through with Masamune. Cloud could hold his desires back, wait until Sephiroth made his move on him, though if the General was going to act like this, Cloud would play along. For now.

"All humans have secrets they do not wish to be known," the twenty six year old mentioned quietly, placing some papers by his side as he finished, stopping when he came to Cloud's files, "even TURKS." a gloved finger trailing over the blonde's photographed jawline, he noticed Cloud flicking a few switches in the kitchen.

Cloud turned the oven on, turning the consoles onto full power, knowing exactly what it took to make the silver hair snap. He smiled slightly. So the TURKS had secrets that could be used to control them? such typical human behaviour. Though now that he had this information, he could return to the task at hand. Sephiroth wanted to play this game, so the blonde would compete. The General himself was still at first, only rising when Cloud began to run the taps also.

"Have you forgotten the rules?" he questioned, though still did not look at the blonde. Trying to hold himself back, desperate to regain some, if any restraint over his own body, forcing his urges back. He could not break, lose himself to the desire. Yet Cloud played him like a puppet on thin strings, simply allowing the General to make the next move, one word escaping his lips in response to Sephiroth's question.

"Nope." Cloud replied simply, leaving the appliances on before leaning over the counter, waiting for the General to snap.

Which did not take long. Twisting, Sephiroth strode towards him, his black jacket flickering in his wake, the second class before him saying nothing, simply continuing to grin. He could not resist. The raw meat held out to a ravenous wolf, the ShinRa General reached an arm out to grab Cloud, half hoping the boy would escape him and flee, though he was intent on punishing him in a deliciously pleasurable way. The blonde jinked to the side, jogging out of the kitchen area and avoiding being caught by his superior officer, still musing to himself quietly before he stopped by a sofa. Sephiroth made no movement, simply holding his hand in place for a moment, then turned off the tap, moving towards the oven and also turning it off. Regaining some control, a small smirk began to grow across his features.

"You would try to run from me, Cloud?" his head tilting toward the sixteen year old, Sephiroth's lime aquamarine irises had narrowed, black, feline pupils now mere slits within the pools of green._ Run from me_, he begged silently, wishing the blonde would behave like a normal lesser being just once in his life.

However, Cloud did not reply with words. Nor did he even attempt to move from where he was positioned, standing, though unarmed, ready for battle. He simply raised an eyebrow, still smirking, knowing the General would be infuriated by his display of complete disrespect. If Sephiroth was going to try and act like he was his superior officer even when they both knew what they wanted, then he would act the uppity cadet. He had no idea of the turmoil Sephiroth was going through within his convoluted mind, yet whatever was holding Sephiroth back was soon torn apart, the off duty General moving towards him in a flash, pinning him to the door. Cloud's head nearly hit back against the thick metal sheet, a hand landing by the side of his head, gloved fingers dangerously close to his blonde locks.

"You can't escape me, Cloud…" that was when their lips had met, leaving Cloud in a near fit of desire and adoration, his arms wrapping around Sephiroth's neck as he leaned into him, kissing and demanding entrance to his mouth. Cloud permitted it for only a moment, realising he did not want the chase to end just yet. Escaping the silver hair's clutches, he used one of the light blue furniture as his cover point, Sephiroth staring at him with that signature smirk still present upon his features. He quirked his lips slightly, almost developing his smirk into one of his sociopath sneers Cloud knew all too well as he circled the blonde, Cloud staying two steps ahead each time, keeping his distance. He knew how unpredictable the silver hair could be, yet his eyes were phased over with an unquenchable lust, leaving Cloud feeling terrified and excited all in an explosion of feelings within his chest.

Cloud legged it. He only came to a halt when he came to the bedroom, diving in and pressing a variety of numbers on the key pad by the security device, the metal door sliding shut before Sephiroth could reach him. Laughing quietly, Cloud backed away, nearly tripping over his own feet and into the bed. He stood in the corner of the room, listening to Sephiroth simply type in the correct combination lock. A low hum beckoning his entry into the room, the General stood staring at Cloud from around ten metres away, the blonde's chest heaving. The blonde's arms instinctively ran across the wall behind him, trapped in the eyes of the monster he loved. Sephiroth approached him with painfully slow steps, each boot landing on the floor and releasing a quietened thud, Cloud's heart lurching at each. When the silver hair stopped, running a hand over Cloud's cheek, caressing his skin gently, Cloud leapt forward. Their lips crashed together, teeth bared and biting down on lower lips, tongues battling for dominance. Sephiroth held the shorter male with relative ease, throwing him down onto his back on the mattress beside them. Pulling open the second class uniform within his jaws, Sephiroth ran his tongue over the trail between Cloud's naval and neck, fingers moving over each rib bone, the blonde letting out a small, muffled murmur. Spreading his legs and near coiling them around the General's waist, Cloud let out a sharp hiss when he felt the teeth prick against a nipple, then tug gently before sucking, driving him into a fevered bout of desire. Sephiroth's gloved hand moving into the blonde's uniform, Cloud murmured something, trying to pull away. The General stopped only for a moment, sighing with need as he stripped himself down, turning to the shelf by his bedside and searching for the small bottle he had been given by the crimson commander as a 'present', along with a couple of female employees he'd decided would look good by the General's side. These women had collapsed upon sight of him, terrified of his eyes. Yet when he saw the reflection of himself in Cloud's softened stare, he realised that the blonde did not care at all for how he looked, for who he was, for what he was.

Lubricating a pair of long, slender fingers before turning back to the blonde, who had willingly began to unzip his pants, Sephiroth found himself raising his eyebrows slightly as Cloud turned his head away, blushing profusely and waiting impatiently for him. Well, from his refusal only a short time ago, this sudden change in Cloud's behaviour towards their love making pleased Sephiroth greatly. Pushing a finger in slowly, he examined the blonde's reaction to being penetrated. At first, Cloud cringed slightly, a soft grimace upon his features, but once the finger came to a halt, fully submerged, Cloud's lips parted, his sapphire gaze now shining with need. Moving the digit inside of the sixteen year old's body, Cloud soon began to pant, then whined when a second finger made it's way past his rectum, scissoring inside of him while dampening his opening, preparing him for intercourse. Sephiroth used his free hand to rip Cloud's trousers fully away from his legs, stopping with them down at the boy's ankles so he would not be able to pull away, trapped by his own uniform. When Sephiroth back slightly, withdrawing his fingers, Cloud turned to him with a stare of utter devotion, his eyes near begging for the man to keep touching him. Pressing his lips against Cloud's forehead, the General complied, pushing himself slowly into the now lubricated, prepared entrance, stopping only when he felt his entire manhood being swallowed within the network of muscles.

Cloud would have squirmed if he did not have his arms soon pulled up to his head, holding them over him when he tried to cover his face with a hand, not wanting the General to see him craving the sex as he did. Yet Sephiroth simply tore his defences down as though they were on the battle field, with Cloud being a defenceless maiden in the clutches of a monster. Sephiroth's lips twitched slightly, pulling his hips back before thrusting in in a short, sharp hit, colliding with Cloud's prostate. The blonde's sapphire eyes shot open in disbelief and shock, trying to hold the pleasure back with began to ripple through him. Had Sephiroth really remembered exactly where his spot of euphoria was, or had that simply been due to his current position? Yet when the angle was hit again and again, leaving the second class in a quivering, moaning wreck in moments, he realised Sephiroth had indeed read him like a book. He simply continued to watch the convulsing boy beneath him until the orgasm washed through Cloud, feline irises flickering with interest. Cloud felt a hand moving down to the mess upon his waist and filling his naval, the white wash of ecstasy still pulsating through his body. When he noticed a finger coated in his essence, he squirmed. He did not want a repeat of having to swallow his own cum. Yet when Sephiroth continued to hold him down, instead slipping the digit into his own mouth and tasting, tongue rolling over the liquid, Cloud's eyes rolled back.

Gaia, that was hot.

Yet what the two did not realise as they clung to each other, desperately trying to fuse with one another in their moments of absolute pleasure, was the third pair of eyes watching their display. Unbeknownst to them, a camera was hidden amongst a few books by a side table, the man behind the lens taking in the display hungrily, thoroughly enjoying the scene, absorbing the information to use at a later date, though that date was drawing closer very quickly, almost as quickly as Cloud's second orgasm.

The blonde hitting his head back against the pillow and squirming, Sephiroth allowed Cloud to arch into him, kissing his shoulders while his hands held the cetra's shaking hips, before he lowered his lover down onto the mattress softly, pulling away from him in a silky trail of white. He leaned back, lying against the headboard of his bed and watching Cloud for a while, analysing his reactions. His hips and buttocks were bright red from being held and pounded into for so long, his breathing ragged and unstable. Sephiroth mused that the blonde certainly still acted human, despite being transported through worlds and made into the lifestream's champion. Yet what still continued to haunt his mind was the idea that he had hurt Cloud, had tried to kill him time and time again. Cloud Strife did not infuriate him in the slightest; the only one who had ever been able to cause him to bat an eyelid was the crimson commander Genesis Rhapsodos himself, yet that was only due to the red head knowing exactly what to say, what to pick away at to get him to nearly snap. The only times he had ever truly felt angry was upon hearing that Hojo had been lying to him, that it had taken a cetra from another world to tell him the truth about his birth, and when he had been only seven…

Sephiroth had been left alone in his room within the middle of the sixty eighth floor, the science department, except for the scientist entrusted in his care while Professor Hojo left the rooms for whatever reason, usually for his monthly trips to Nibelheim to his second laboratory. Although Sephiroth was not designed to know about the second research facility, he already knew how to read the most complicated of texts; studying a dictionary daily for approximately thirty minutes and learning one thousand new words in the process, and so when the file had landed just beyond the thick plastic walls sealing him in, his interest had piqued. Now he was alone to stare at the equipment provided for him. Having never had any toys that did not have a specialised purpose to them, the silver haired boy examined the ten thousand piece puzzle before him, kept in a tight fitting box without a picture of the final result, clearly taken away to make the task more challenging. Silent other than his breathing, he began to complete the shattered artwork of the two swans. Staring at their white painted feathers, he found himself wishing he had wings. If only he could fly away from this place; fly far, far away. Cascading across the water surface, disappearing into the bright blue skies beyond that he had never seen, only knowing of what the skies were from the books he had been given. To feel the sunlight on his pale skin for the first time, to breathe the sweet air of outside rather than the stale oxygen pulsing through his cage. To feel the fresh, warm grass beneath his feet, bathe in the deep, salt waters of the oceans far from his cage, witness the great temples of the old gods he had been so fascinated with with his own eyes (until father told him that knowing of the humans' history was of no need for a cetra such as him). Sephiroth felt a small smile slip across his lips. To find mother, wherever she may be, to hear her whisper into his ear that she did not mean to leave him to this fate, that she loved him with every breath in her body. And although mother would talk to him in his dreams, he could never picture her face, only those deep, green eyes, just like his own.

Yes, that was what he would do. One day. Be it with his own wings, or upon the back of a large swan, he would fly to a place with no rules, where he could play with what he wanted, run as fast as he wanted without the wires constantly attached to his body, find others like him and listen to their endless stories. He only left his thoughts when he heard the woman talking to herself, feeling slightly irritated that she had interrupted his daydream.

"The subject's host gave the child up for science. She was nothing more than a carrier for the Jenova cells."

Cells? What did she mean? Although the boy knew of certain aspects in the scientific field of biology, he did not understand what the strange female meant. As for host... did she mean Jenova? His mother? He had learned of the strange insects which would place their offspring into the bodies of others, waiting until the children burst out, killing the host in the process. Had he...killed his mother? Was it his fault she had died? Then this must be his punishment...Sephiroth thought to himself, continuing the task at hand, though keeping an ear in the conversation the woman was having to herself with a voice recorder in one hand, writing down notes with the other.

"The boy is talented, with the memory capacity and intellect of a fourteen year old." Sephiroth realised that she meant someone who was twice his age. Yet he did not feel old. Then again, he did not feel young. Nor happy, nor sad. He simply felt…numb. As though he were not living, nor dead. He had thought that would change when he broke free - but did he deserve to escape? Did he deserve...happiness? It had been his fault that mother had died. That must be why father kept him locked in her, sparing him only glances unless he completed his set tasks. Turning when he heard the woman get up and walk further away from his cage, Sephiroth approached the plastic, ignoring the wires trailing in his wake, attached to his head and arms, constantly monitoring his brain waves.

"The Professor has left me to watch over the experiment throughout the night until the other assistants arrive. I am greatly honoured to have been given such a task…"

An experiment? He was an experiment? He felt a strange tightening within his chest, as though his heart was suddenly clutched in the talon's of a ragged crow. Then…he was not being punished for mother's death. He was nothing more than a laboratory rat, awaiting dissection by his own father. Where was his mother? Why did she have to die during his birth? Could father not have saved her, when he could do all these great things, inspire so many people? She spoke to him every night, whispering to him that he was destined for greatness, yet what greatness was there to be had when he was trapped within a cell of plastic, constantly being watched over and experimented upon?

The rage pouring through him, Sephiroth twisted, slamming a fist into the plastic, feeling the slight pain jolting through his arm. But in his attack, he had managed to create a small dent in the plastic. His eyes widened, feline slits sharpening. He was strong enough to break out? He could escape this horrible place, be free to fly in the skies beyond? The scientist did not approach him, far too engaged in her own activity, leaving the silver hair to glare at the cage wall before slamming his head into it, causing a few pieces of plastic to break away, embedding within his hair. He continued doing this, the assistant researcher eventually noticing what was happening, but by then it was too late. Pulling himself through the cracked hole he had created, Sephiroth placed a foot down onto the sixty eighth floor, blood trailing down his head over his flaring nostrils and thin lips. He was…free? Moving forward, he stopped only when the wires held him back, still attached to his body. Grabbing a large shard of sharp plastic, he cut them out, he ignored the spraying liquid, more blood running down his body from the wounds he had caused, turning as the woman slowly approached him.

"The…experiment…" her eyes, so full of terror, her heartbeat echoing through Sephiroth's ears, "has…escaped…" she slowly moved her hands upward, first placing the voice recorder onto a desk by her before approaching, holding out her arms. "Come here, little one…"

The silver hair stood motionless. His lips held in a thin line, a drop of crimson rolled down his chin and landed upon his white clothes, one of the replica uniforms he had been forced to wear day after day since he could remember. This woman was now addressing him as a child, after she had referred to him repeatedly an experiment, a mere creature? His mother's words burned into his mind, anger flowed through him. How rotten this human was before him, what a fool she was, attempting to consolidate him, to stop his escape from this wretched place he had never called home. She stepped closer towards him, a hand reaching towards the bright red button placed upon the wall in a square of yellow and black. Still holding the dripping shard in his left hand, Sephiroth moved only when the alarm began to screech through his ears, causing the boy to stagger for but a moment before lunging.

By the time the guards had arrived, his white clothes were stained scarlet, a maddened smirk rippling over his lips, feeling truly alive for the first time in his short life.

Sephiroth sighed quietly, watching as Cloud tried to move, only to slump back into the mattress. He moved a hand into the drawers by his side again, noticing the plastic shard he had hidden there, now glistening with cruel intentions, reminding him of his first kill. He smiled simply at this, pulling out the small green orb of a heal materia and casting the spell onto his blonde lover. The bruises soon faded entirely, leaving only the beautiful peachy skin of the sixteen year old, which Sephiroth admired for a moment before returning to his thoughts. Cloud groaned quietly, sapphire eyes shifting towards the silver haired General, who simply continued to smile to himself, as though recalling a fond memory.


	49. Chapter 49

_AN ;; Oh dearies. Who was watching our favourite couple getting it on in the previous chapters? Taking bets, everyone. Also, i've lost count of how many times I just spelt 'nine' in the chapter bar there as 'nein'. XD _

**CHAPTER FORTY-NINE**

Escorting the raven headed first class to the Director's office, the two third class SOLDIERS glanced at one another, unsure whether they could still act formally around Zackary Fair after his recent promotion. It had been only four days since Zack had been upgraded to first class, yet already everyone was acting as though he were some godly being among them, reacting as they would towards Angeal Hewley when he entered the forty ninth floor, searching for Kunsel and Riley. Finding them, they led the way to Lazard's office, under strict direct command from President ShinRa's illegitimate heir to bring the first class to his office at the chime of the eighth hour. Riley frowned slightly, though this was hidden beneath his helmet, while Kunsel poked Zack in the side, the three who had been cadets together stepping out of the elevator before approaching the office.

"We still get to call you Zack, right?" Kunsel questioned, the men stopping by the doorway, "...Sir?"

Zack glanced back at him, his lips in a firm line, raising a single black eyebrow upon his features. Riley instinctively took a step back, not wanting to be anywhere near the first class when he blew up.

"You will address me as Lieutenant Fair and nothing but." he turned to his old friend, hardened eyes locking onto the third class, "otherwise, I will be forced to administer punishment…"

"P-punishment, S-sir?" Kunsel's jaw was dropped, he shuffled backward nervously, nearly colliding with Riley who was still moving further away down the hall, getting ready to run for the elevator.

Zack couldn't hold the façade for long at the sight of his two third class friends quaking in their boots. Bursting into laughter, he near tackled Kunsel to the floor, Riley stopping his movement other than to rub the back of his head, staring down at the two.

"Of course you can, man!" Zack grinned widely, "I didn't change personalities just from a promotion, gods!" when he allowed Kunsel to gasp for air for but a moment, he added, "we're friends for life, all right? no changing that! SOLDIER or no!"

The door opened at this statement, Lazard calling Zack's name with a sharp, roughened shout, clearly sick of the raven head tackling his SOLDIERS to the floor. Zack leapt to his feet, still grinning that famous smile which made him so beloved throughout the facility, before turning and entering the office, leaving Kunsel still near crushed on the floor, Riley wondering if he should leave him there.

Zack stopped when he came to the desk, Lazard holding a hand on his forehead, visibly frowning, exasperated with the immature behaviour of the twenty one year old. Zack glanced at the General who was leant back against a wall slightly, stood around six feet from Lazard, equipped in his battle gear with Masamune sheathed by his side. What Sephiroth was doing here was a mystery to the raven head, however he simply assumed Lazard had been speaking with him before their appointed meeting and so thought little of the silver hair standing quietly close by, his eyes shut as though deep in thought. Zack straightened his back, clacking his boots together and saluting before waiting to be addressed by Lazard, who continued to glower at him frostily.

"First class…Zackary Fair…" he gritted through his teeth. Lazard was not a hateful, nor angry man, yet he was at his wits end with the raven head. So much so that he had decided on the perfect mission to send the new first class off to.

"Sir, Director sir." Zack responded automatically, having had this method of response drilled into him since he was a mere sixteen year old cadet, the same age as his adorned blonde chocobo.

"Tell me, Zack, have you ever been to Wutai?" Lazard questioned, sliding the files across his table towards the raven head, who shook his head calmly.

"Sir, no sir." he pulled up the paperwork and read through, finding his file alongside the General's tagged together. He had almost been sent to Wutai with Angeal a few months before Cloud's spirit became embodied in this world, had Genesis not demanded he be sent alongside Sephiroth instead, seeking to please the silver hair and to take the glory for himself. Always so selfish, Zack deduced in his mind. Although, with Genesis' actions, there was always some motive behind them, an urge to shove his opinions and autocratic, domineering self down people's throats. At least in that way, one could understand the crimson commander somewhat. Yet for what reason Sephiroth had refused for Cloud to join his side on his mission to Gongaga to find Angeal and Genesis, when although the two men were not enemies, neither did they appear more than simply friendly to Zack. Sephiroth was clearly interested in Cloud, Zack had decided, though in what way he did not know. One minute the General wanted to wait for Cloud to become stronger over a course of a few years until they were ready to battle full out, and the next he was near cutting him open in the training rooms. Sephiroth was as unpredictable as a flame, yet as deep and complicated as an iceberg, his true intentions safely buried beneath an ocean of darkness. Zack frowned as he read over the work, finding he had been allocated a troop of forty regular army men.

"Since As you know well, we are at war with the country of Wutai. It is our duty to the President to bring this conflict to an end, soon." the Director informed, collecting the sheets when Zack handed them back to him, "as the Rhapsodos threat has now been dealt with, I am sending you, first class Zackary Fair, to Wutai to fight alongside the General until this war comes to a close. You will be promoted to Lieutenant during this mission and assigned forty men from the army under your wing."

Zack blinked. He was to be carted off to Wutai in a dingy truck, leaving Cloud alone in the facility with Hojo leering around every corner? Even the General was being sent out to the oriental country without even batting an eyelid. He clearly did not care for Cloud in the same way that the raven head did, if he had not even refused the order. Sephiroth could have rejected the mission, despite the fury from the President that would invoke, yet he lay there against the wall, his eyes still closed and lips held in a thin line, his face masked in his constant apathetic expression, completely indifferent towards the Director's command. Lazard said it was until the war ended - which could be months, considering Wutai was fifteen times larger than the colossal city of Midgar itself, and armed to the teeth with their own personal weapons. And while Sephiroth simply accepted the mission without question, Zack however would not just fall to his knees and give in.

"I refuse," Zack shook his head, "I can't leave my…friends. Not after I've lost Angeal."

"I understand your feelings towards this," Lazard countered simply, without raising his glasses from the work he was reading over, "however; if you should reject partaking in this mission, you will be brought forth to the department of administrative research and questioned for your involvement with Commander Hewley's recent departure from the company."

Sephiroth seemed to stir slightly at this threat, glancing over at the two men close to him before returning to his thoughts. Meanwhile Zack's eyes burned with fury. If he stayed behind in Midgar, unwilling to put his life on the line for some pathetic company ran by a fat, grotesque little man in a suit, he would be interrogated and disposed of by the TURKS? So even Sephiroth was not getting a choice in this? He scowled openly, Lazard raising an eyebrow.

"Do you still disagree with the decision?"

Despite knowing that the man was simply doing his job, Zack wanted to grab him and throw him out the window. He exhaled sharply, figuring that if he couldn't stay, he would just have to bring the blonde with him.

"May I request the attendance of a second class by my side?"

"Name?" Lazard pulled up his laptop, typing something to enter the files, the screen behind him flickering to life to show what he was on - the registration files of all SOLDIERS, past and current. Zack simply glanced at the image of Genesis Rhapsodos before continuing.

"Cloud Strife, sir."

Lazard stopped. He slowly slid his hand over the laptop lid before closing it, intertwining his fingers together and leaning slightly over the desk.

"A request has already been placed for Strife to attend." he informed, his gaze trailing towards the silver hair General, who now had his eyes open, though continued to solemnly stare into the distance, "however, despite his clear abilities and aptitude as a SOLDIER, Strife is scheduled for his six monthly mako shot and so is not permitted to leave Midgar."

What? Cloud didn't receive mako shots! Who was doing this? Zack opened his lips to shout when Sephiroth quietly spoke up.

"We leave at sixteen hundred hours, Zack."

The raven head turned to his superior officer, eyes blazing, yet when he realised Sephiroth was now gazing at him calmly, he swallowed back his anger, staying quiet other than to reply with, "I accept the mission, sir."

"Very well. I shall see the both of you when you return." if you return, Lazard most likely meant, Zack thought bitterly as he followed a river of silver hair out of the office, the two SOLDIER first classes approaching the elevator before stepping in, Sephiroth using his key card to activate the floors above floor fifty, directing them to his apartment. Zack frowned as he noticed this. Why were they heading to the General's accommodations? He relaxed slightly, understanding. On the sixty ninth floor, they could talk without interruption, nor with the threat of being watched or overheard by the TURK hyenas constantly prowling the floors below to snag up any stray information which their ever pricked ears picked up upon.

Entering the apartment, Zack found that it seemed much…livelier than it had ever been before. There were a few pillows from the furniture tossed out onto the living area floor, which the General had chosen to leave alone, while the lights were all turned on. Had Sephiroth had someone stay over recently? That was unfathomable to imagine. The silver hair was the complete opposite side of a coin compared to Genesis Rhapsodos, who would have a new individual or two at any given point throughout a whole week, nearly sleeping his way through the entire ShinRa building. Ok, maybe not that many, but it certainly seemed like it. Even the company would then bribe the women and men not to speak of their interactions with the crimson commander afterward. Zack didn't want to think of what crazy shit Genesis got up to after hours. Yet the way Sephiroth's apartment appeared definitely gave the impression that someone else had stayed over. Had Scarlet finally sunk her teeth into the man? Yet he continued to act unaffected by it all, simply gesturing for the raven head to sit on one of the couches. Picking up a tossed pillow, Zack pressed it against his head when he leaned back, arms crossed behind his neck.

"So, what's your plan?" the younger questioned, tilting his head slightly.

"Plan…?" the General replied quietly, entering his kitchen and filling a glass of water. The man never drank alcohol, or at least Zack had never seen him do so, and the one attempt Genesis had ever made at getting Sephiroth high when he dropped a pill in one of his glasses ended up with the lustful crimson commander nearly getting ran through with Masamune had he not near flown from the apartment as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Yeah. You're helping me get Cloud out of here, aren't you?"

"I am sure that Strife will find the means of leaving the facility himself."

What? So Sephiroth didn't even care if Cloud was trapped alone in the facility with the science department constantly watching over them all? Were they not friends, if not simply acquaintances? Cloud really meant nothing to him? Zack shook his head. He was shaking, still angry from Lazard forcing the order on him, that he would have to leave the blonde alone if he could not come up with a good enough plan to sneak Cloud along to Wutai with him, yet he felt relieved to find that the silver haired General had no interest in the newly made second class SOLDIER whatsoever. Well, at least not enough interest to even put up a fight against the Director's mission commands, but that was better than either having an infatuation with Cloud, or wanting to cut him apart like he had tried to numerous times in their last world.

"But how?" Zack sat forward, placing his hands on his thighs, "after Angeal and Genesis, there's TURKS swarming this place constantly! He wont be able to make a foot beyond the entrance doors without being dragged back in!" the science department, despite not knowing of Cloud being a cetra, definitely were not up to any good. Cloud had never received mako injections despite his one time when Professor Hojo had him escorted to the laboratories, but even then Sephiroth had been present to stop his father from pulling anything crazy. The idea of two sociopaths being left alone with Cloud in the first place made Zack cringe internally, though he said nothing, waiting for the General to respond.

Sephiroth placed the now empty glass back onto the counter, moving away from Zack and approaching the stand where he kept Masamune on display in the living area. Withdrawing the seven foot long blade, Zack flinched instinctively. The man had tried to kill him in the paradox world, after all. He remembered it clearly; having somehow regained his memories during his journey through the ancient Gongagan jungles, a gift from the lifestream, he assumed. Sephiroth had appeared so maddened - no, had become insane to the very core, throwing him into a mako tank after having nearly killed Cloud's childhood friend Tifa, who had tried in vain to use the General's very blade against him and failed miserably. It had been Cloud who had saved them both, giving up four years of his own life in doing so, awaking with extreme mako poisoning having lost everything.

Yet the way Sephiroth ran a gloved finger delicately over the blade…Zack knew that although the man was acting as sane as any human being, despite his sociopath tendencies, the evil was still very much deep within the General, simply awaiting to break free, as soon as he discovered the true meanings of his origin. But when he tried, and he would try, to hurt Cloud, this time Zack would be there to stop him.

"Look, if you distract them, I can get Cloud out." Zack suggested, the silver hair not even turning to spare a glance at him, infatuated with his cherished weapon. Feeling the cell phone vibrating in his pocket, Zack gave up trying to get the General to assist him, glancing at the caller ID, finding it was Cissnei. He figured he should probably answer her call, seeing as he'd been avoiding her for over a week. Sephiroth still continued to play the role of a statue staring at the sword before him, even when Zack got to his feet and shuffled over to the kitchen, answering his cell.

"Zack! You answered!" Cissnei sounded like she was in tears from joy. Gaia, he knew how to pick them.

Zack sighed softly, "Hey, Ciss…" he glanced over at the General, wondering if Sephiroth was in some kind of trance. He blinked when he heard the girl start wailing over the over end.

"H-have you s-spoken t-to Cloud?" what? Why was Cissnei asking that? Wait, had she finally taken his tip of getting together with the blonde?

"Uh, yeah? Why?"

"Has he s-said anything t-to you?"

"About what?"

Cissnei went silent. Sephiroth had began to move again, no longer a marble carving, making his way over to his desk and beginning to do paperwork, which was mostly lying all across the floor, as though he'd pinned someone to the desk. Zack raised an eyebrow but said nothing, turning back to the young TURK.

"Look, Ciss. I really like you and all, but I don't think it's going to work…"

"What?"

Zack nearly audibly groaned at her response. He quickly chipped in before she could start protesting.

"I'm heading to Wutai tonight and don't know when I'll be getting back. We would never see each other…" Zack frowned. He could always just tell her he was gay, even if it wasn't the whole truth. He didn't have an interest in any male other than Cloud, though he had nearly been tempted by Genesis a couple of times, not that he would ever admit that to anyone, not even his chocobo haired friend. But if he used the excuse of not liking girls, knowing Cissnei, she would hunt him down and cut off his genitals as an act of vengeance for her dignity.

"But…"

"No Ciss." Zack shook his head, although he knew she would not actually be able to see his motion over the contact device, "we can be friends, but nothing more. I…" he sighed, "my heart…belongs to someone else…" that was as much as he was willing to say within earshot of the silver General, who simply twitched an eyebrow at this. "I've got to go now, I'll call you, ok…?" when she did not respond, Zack sighed quietly, ending the call. That went surprisingly better than he had first expected. Maybe he shouldn't have avoided her for so long. Then again, it could have been that due to hiding from the TURK for a length of time had softened the blow slightly more than just telling her straight after she woke up in his bed.

Turning his sapphire gaze to the black leathered General, who simply continued to stare at him as though he were some extraordinary specimen, in a similar fashion as his father Hojo would do towards a laboratory rat during a ghastly experiment. Zack scowled.

"Don't give me that look, Seph." he shot him a fiery glower, "and before you ask, it's none of your business."

"I have no interest in your personal affairs, Zackary." Sephiroth replied, his voice in a constant, disinterested tone.

"Well, you have to help me get Cloud out." the raven head redirected their conversation back to the previous subject - getting the blonde second class out of Midgar, "if we leave him, the science department will get him. Or worse…" Hojo.

"What is it about Strife that makes you assume my father will be interested in him?" Sephiroth questioned, "he is scheduled for a mako intake, nothing more. Other than the basic symptoms of nausea, temporary sickness and such, Strife should be perfectly able to return to duties the next day."

Zack scowled. How had he nearly forgotten that the silver hair knew nothing about Cloud being a cetra? Of their past together? He had nearly blown it! He narrowed his gaze, replying quietly.

"I wont leave him here, not without me." Zack sharpened his optics, glowering lowly towards the General, "I wont let anyone hurt him." even you, Zack added internally, keeping his sapphire glare locked onto the General's, who simply piqued his lip slightly upward in a disjointed smile.

_AN ;; Oh dears. The science department wants Cloud to stay behind in Midgar for 'mako injections' rather than go with Zack and Sephiroth to Wutai. But will they leave him, or try to face the impossible odds to protect the blonde? Find out in the next chapter, guys... until then, I bid you adeu! ~ Nightfall_


	50. Chapter 50

Hello there, everyone!

Just posting this to update you all on the current going's on with this story~

_There's A Wolf In My Heart_ is very much still being written. Having taken 2 months off for exam leave, I have finished my exams for this year, and I am now rewriting the story. The first chapter has just been replaced, and the following chapters will be undergoing updates before any new chapters will be posted. This story will **not** be cancelled anytime soon, so do not worry.

So if you could check out the new chapter one, and then there will be regular updates of the currently posted chapters. The story will not be changing direction from where it has currently been heading, I am simply rewriting it into a style I prefer.

I'm also running a small poll on my account on here if you'd like to go pick one of the two options, just a little request :)

Until the next update, I bid you adeu~

Nightfall


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